Wolfs Rain: The Wolf Princess
by WavvyTheFur
Summary: Written by me and Wolfie. The wolves recieve a prophecy that the Wolf Princess will stop them going extinct, but will she succeed, even with the help of her guardian? Ocean is mine, so is Grace; Jenny belongs to Wolfie. RATING MAY CHANGE!
1. Prologue

New story :D I seem to be the queen at that X3 But I'm not writing this one alone. Oh no this is being written by me and my friend Wolfie, but I will post it because she doesn't have an account :)

Ocean (C) Me

Wolfs Rain (C) Bones

_8888_

**Prologue**

"Are you sure you can do this?"

"Yes, how many times are you going to ask?"

"This is serious Ocean!"

"I know, so am I."

The bigger wolf growled in irritation, wanting to cuff his apprentice around the ears for her cheek.

"Shadow get real will you," Ocean said, the brown and white wolf flicking her tail, "I could take down any human that tried to hurt her, this is going to be so easy I'll have to put her in danger for something to do."

"You be serious then," Shadow growled, "This isn't a game, this is serious. They choose you to defend her, and you must not fail, the fate of our kind depends on it."

"Yeah I know," Ocean sighed, "The wolf princess will save us from extinction, blah blah blah. Don't worry, you've trained me all my life for this, I'm ready."

"I know you are," he said, his voice and eyes softer now, "You've trained hard" he rubbed his cheek against hers, "I wish you the best of luck." His eyes darkened, "Your going to need it."

_8888_

Grace quickened her pace when she spotted Jenny, surrounded by a group of older men, the stench of alcohol strong, even from where she was standing.

"HEY!" she yelled, distracting them. Quickly, she grabbed the one closest, the biggest of them, and punched him across the face. He stumbled back, cursing and she smirked. _Pathetic weak human_, she thought.

"Damn, you broke my nose you bitch!" he yelled and she raised her fist threateningly.

"Yeah, and if you and your pack of losers don't high tail yourselves away from her fast," she punched the boy in the eye, "I'll give you matching pair of black eyes, got that?" They scarpered. Jenny sighed with relief.

"Thanks Grace, I owe you one," she said and Grace grinned.

"Hey no problem," she said, "I like putting lower beings in their place." Jenny gave her a weird look and laughed it off.

"You're so weird sometimes," she giggled, "You're just not normal." Her grin broadened.

"Hey that's me!" she said cheerfully. _Ha, she doesn't know the half of it_; she thought with glee, _what would she think if she knew I had a tail_?


	2. Chapter 1

THIS CHAPTER WAS WRITTEN BY WOLFIE, NOT ME!

Jenny (C) Wolfie

Grace (C) Me

Wolfs Rain (C) Bones

_8888_

They were running, leading me deeper into the emerald forest. The wolves. I followed willingly and somehow I was able to keep pace with them. Then one stopped and looked back at me, I stopped to. His fur was as white as fresh fallen snow. Then he spoke. I don't know how, but he did.

"Jenny," I stared blankly at the wolf, then, slowly, replied "Yes?" He just stared back at me for a moment then opened his mouth and louder, "JENNY!" Pain shot through my body and my eyes shot open. I was lying on my bedroom floor with no idea how I got there. I sat up slowly, wincing at the slight twinge of pain.

"Oh, so now you wake up, sleepy head," I looked up and Grace, my best friend, was standing over me, smiling.

"How did you get in here?" I asked gruffly as I stood up shaking off the pain.

"Your mum let me in of course," she smiled sweetly. I glared at her.

"And, _why_ did you feel the need to come in my house and _push_ _me off my bed_?" I almost growled.

"Because otherwise you'll be late for the school trip today," she said innocently, ignoring my anger.

"Oh crap, I forgot about that," I said, temporarily forgetting my anger towards her. I started fumbling around my room looking for my bag, and then in my wardrobe looking for something to wear. Grace just stood there laughing at me, not even bothering to help. She could be nice and she was very protective of me, but she could also be annoying and very strange at times.

It was a Saturday but there was a school trip to London, to the National Art Gallery, where we would get the chance to meet the famous artist, Kiba, who was well known for his paintings of animals, especially wolves. I was really excited about this. Kiba was my favourite artist, and I absolutely loved his portrayal of wolves.

I finally decided on what to wear and kindly asked Grace to leave (or rather shoved her out the door) whilst I got changed. I had decided to wear my denim shorts and a black t-shirt which had the picture of a white wolf on it, which I thought seemed appropriate. Once I was changed I opened the door and let Grace back in.

"Nice top," she commented and I wasn't sure if she was being serious or not.

"Thanks," I muttered dryly.

I gathered my bag and filled it with things, including my phone, a sketch pad and pencils (you never know) and a drawing of a wolf I had done, which I was going to ask Kiba to comment on. I looked at the clock on my bedside table before leaving my room. 8:00. _Good_, I had enough time to sort my hair out and have breakfast before walking the mile to school. I guess Grace didn't have to wake me up so 'quickly'. We had to be at school sharp at 9:00 or the coaches left without us (supposedly) but I was planning to get there by 8:50 just to be sure, and to give me time to chat to my other friends.

Grace followed me down the stairs and on my way I noticed my parents' door was still shut.

"Hey Grace?"

"Yup?"

"How did my mum let you in if she's still asleep?" I enquired, feeling slightly suspicious, but with no idea how else she could of got in.

"She went back to bed afterward, she was really tired," Grace replied matter-of-factly as we walked into the living room.

"Oh," I said, feeling a bit stupid for not thinking of that to begin with, although I couldn't imagine my mum going back to bed after letting someone in the house, but I let it slide.

I finished getting ready whilst Grace sat and watched from the sofa.

We left the house at 8:20 and managed to walk to school in just 20 minutes. Neither of us said much on the way, we were both to busy thinking about the trip.

When we arrived at school I lead Grace over to where our other friends were already standing (although they were more mine, Grace didn't seem to even try to get along with them that well).

"Why are you here so early?" I asked, knowing me and Grace were at least 20 minutes early, and they were here before us.

"Because we thought we had to be here at normal time," Amber replied, glaring at Kristen, and I got the impression Kristen had told them to be at school for normal time (8:30). I sighed jokingly at Kristen who looked like she was about to defend herself so I hastily said, "Its all right, were early to, it gives us more time to chat." I wanted to keep the peace and to stop any negativity taking place before the trip. I knew none of my friends were as enthusiastic about the trip as me, except maybe Grace, and I'm sure some thought it would be boring and were only attending because everyone else was and it was something to do.

We all talked about random things while more and more people gathered in the playground around us, which was where we were registering.

At about 5 to 9 the teachers who were going on the trip, assembled in the playground and made us all line up in forms. Grace, Amber and I were all in the same form but Kristen and the others weren't so they left us and went to join there lines, whilst we went to stand in front of our form tutor, Mr Smith. He ticked off everyone on the register and then added a few latecomers when they arrived. He should have had a go at them for being late but he didn't, he just gave them disapproving looks. He was a nice teacher, about thirty, and he knew how to handle the kids (well teens, we were all 15 or 16) and was well respected and liked among the student body.

Whilst we were waiting for the coaches to arrive, he started speaking to me, Grace and Amber about the day ahead of us.

"So, are you looking forward to the trip?" he asked standing at the side of us three. We turned to face him.

"It'll be _alright_," Amber replied, dragging out the 'alright' to show she wasn't that bothered about it.

"Well I am, I think it will be great," I answered, smiling to show how enthusiastic I was. He smiled "That's great. Well it's not to everyone's taste is it?" He smiled again then walked off to the back of the line to tell some boys to stop messing around.

Just as he was returning to the front of the line, the coaches arrived and pulled into the parking lot next to the playground. The teachers organized us and each form filed into the coaches in turn. Unfortunately, we weren't on the same coach as Kristen's form so we had to find seats for only three of us together, and luckily we were the first on our couch so could get three of the five seats at the back.

The coach journey was slow. There was a lot of traffic and I couldn't really get into any conversation because I was still too tired after _someone_ had woken me up this morning, which I was still irritated about.

But once we had arrived in London it was completely different. We had to park a little way away and had to walk as a big group to Trafalgar Square where we all meet outside the National Art Gallery to be registered again. Then our form tutors explained how the day was going to work. We could all go around the gallery freely and eat lunch whenever we wanted as long as we ate in the designated areas. Those who wanted to meet Kiba had to wait to the side at the beginning and would then be led by Spencer (the art teacher, who didn't like us to call him sir) to go and meet him and have him talk about his art, in the room it was in show in. I was so excited by this point, knowing the one person I wanted to meet was so close to me. Everyone was then released and could wander through the gallery, but were warned not to go too far if they left it and to stay in the Trafalgar Square area. As everyone filed into the gallery, only a few people dropped back to wait, about 10, including me and Grace. Amber apologized to us, said she wasn't really that interested in 'this Kiba guy', as she put it, and then ran off to catch up to Kristen. The handful of us that remained moved into a small group and Spencer came to talk to us. I was glad that there were only a few of us as I wanted the chance to talk to Kiba personally, and to ask him about my drawing, but I thought it was strange as this was what the trip was about.

Spencer told us about how we should behave and what was expected of us. After that he led us into the Gallery. As we passed through the foyer I noticed a beautiful blue guard dog, that looked more like a wolf then a dog. It watched me as we passed and I smiled at it on the way.

Spencer led us through a narrow corridor with paintings on the walls, and stopped outside a narrow archway. As a peered through the opening I recognised the beautiful paintings on the walls and knew we were in the right place. And then Spencer walked into the room and smiled at someone I could not see from where I was standing.

"Come on kids," he said as he motioned us into the room with him. "Meet Kiba," he continued as if introducing us to an old friend. I stared at the beautiful man in front of me. I didn't mean to stare but even in the photos he never looked quite like this. I felt my heart start to race.

And then he looked at me, directly into my eyes. My breath caught in my throat. He looked like an angel. He smiled at me with such a perfect, gentle smile. I felt my lips part before I regained control of myself and smiled back whilst I felt heat rise in my cheeks. But he didn't seem to notice my reddening cheeks. We gazed into each others eyes for what felt like eternity before he broke his eyes away from mine to look around at the rest of the room.

Then he spoke.

"Welcome," he addressed us all in a voice that caressed my ears. His eyes slipped back on me for a few seconds before he carried on looking at the others.

"So you all must be as interested in art as I am. So if you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask, okay?" He smiled sweetly, showing he wouldn't bite. Immediately someone stuck there hand up. It was Ruth Summers.

"Yes?" Kiba looked at her.

Ruth giggled then asked, "Are you single?" more giggling. I instantly felt anger towards her for asking such a stupid question, but I couldn't deny that I also felt grateful and was interested in the answer. Kiba just smiled and, for a split second, I swear his eyes moved onto me before he looked back at Ruth Summers and replied "Yes." He rubbed the back of his head as if he was embarrassed. I smiled at his answer and Grace nudged me, as if she knew what I was thinking.

"Okay, any other questions?" Kiba turned serious again but still had a smile on his face. A boy at the back put his hand up. He was Jonathan March, the cleverest boy in our year, so we all expected him to ask something clever or technical, and some people even sighed.

"Why do you choose to draw wolves?" He asked, then without waiting for an answer, he continued, "When they are becoming very unpopular with _certain_ people?" He sounded like a snob. But it got me thinking, it was true that more and more people were beginning to feel negatively about wolves and they were being hunted a lot more, though no-one really knew why. But this wasn't something I expected to come up today, even if Kiba showed an obvious love for the creatures. And I got the idea that Jonathan didn't.

"Well," Kiba begun, looking slightly nervous about the question, "I believe wolves are magnificent animals, and I like to capture there gracefulness and beauty in my paintings. They are loyal and I do not believe they deserve the hatred they are receiving." He said simply and I noticed Grace was smiling at this quite a bit, as if he was talking about her.

"So who here actually likes wolves, and believes they are misunderstood?" He asked seriously, and I thought he was just asking so that he could see who could really appreciate his art.

Only three of us put our hands up. Me, Grace and Ruth Summers, although I expected she was only doing it so she could impress Kiba, whereas I knew me and Grace were serious. A few others looked unsure but didn't put there hand up.

Kiba looked over us, taking in the result. His eyes moved onto me and seemed to linger there for longer then anyone else, then he moved onto Grace and smiled in a way that made me think he was laughing at a secret joke, and if my eyes weren't deceiving me I could have sworn I saw Grace wink back at him. She wasn't crushing on him too was she? (Although what I felt felt like more than a simple crush).

"Okay then," Kiba said, "I guess we don't all share the same point of view." He looked sad at this as though it was personal to him. "You can walk around and look at my art now if you wish, I've taken up enough of your time," he said less cheerfully as if he was slightly saddened by the fact very little people liked wolves. Everyone dissolved into groups and I heard Ruth giggling with her friends. I watched as Spencer walked over to Kiba and told him something like "I'm sorry about them, but I guess not everyone can like the same thing," before I tore my eyes away and looked at Grace, who was smiling at me smugly.

"Soo…." she said.

"So what?" I replied, feeling slightly nervous about what she was about to say.

"So, what were you staring at?" she asked in an all too innocent voice, making me feel like she already knew.

"Nothing," I muttered looking down and feeling my cheeks redden.

"Oh, really? Cause I think you were looking at Kiba," she said.

"So? it's polite to look at someone when they're talking to you," I replied, trying to be smart and think of something to get me out of this, though I knew she already knew.

"Oh come on, you were practically dribbling!" She laughed, and I just looked away, pretending to look at a piece of art which hung on the wall behind her.

"It's okay to like him, y'know," she said and her voice had turned gentle and understanding and I knew she wasn't going to make fun of me.

I was still looking away when she said, "Hello Kiba," and at first I thought she was trying to trick me and was about to tell her she wasn't gonna fool me when I heard, "Hello ladies." I could tell he was right behind me and my heart started racing again. I turned around and sure enough he was there smiling down at me. He was so close and I saw something in his eyes that I didn't recognise.

"H…hello," I stammered, made nervous by his close proximity, whilst Grace said "Hi," like a normal person. He just laughed lightly then said, "May I ask your name?" in such a gentlemanly way.

"Erm…Jenny," this time with more confidence in my voice.

"Nice to meet you Jenny," He said then reached out, took my hand, bent down and kissed it! Like they did in the old-time movies. He stood up straight and smiled at me before turning to Grace. He looked at her differently then I saw him looking at anyone else.

"Grace, is it?" He addressed her, "Can I talk to you for a moment, please?" My heart dropped. So he was interested in her.

She nodded and they walked a little way away. I watched as they talked. He seemed to be asking her questions, and she seemed to be answering him. He looked more serious than he had and for the first time since we entered his smile was gone. Grace, however, was smiling, almost as if she was enjoying Kiba's seriousness. Then I heard three words as they drifted over to me from there conversation, "Go for it." They came from Grace. He smiled at this then said what I think was thank-you, and walked back over to where I was still standing on my own, Grace following slowly behind.

"Sorry about leaving you on your own," he apologized. I smiled as best I could and said 's'okay' back to him, though I didn't feel ok. But then Grace spoke.

"Guess what?" She asked me, and when I looked at her in an '_I'm-not-in-the-mood_' type way, she continued, "Kiba likes you too!" she announced and we both stared at her. Kiba laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. I just stood staring at her, unsure as to whether she was telling the truth or if this was some kind of sick joke. But then Kiba turned to me and said what I'd longed to hear.

"It's true," His face turned serious and he was looking directly into my eyes as he said it. I felt my mouth drop open. _Was I dreaming_? I just stared at him. I didn't know what to stay. We stayed like this, staring at each other, for about a minute, before his smile returned and he took my hand. Holding it in his he led me to one of his bigger paintings.

"Let me show you my art," was all he said. The painting was of a big white wolf howling at a full moon. The wolf reminded me of the one in my dreams. The background behind the wolf was a beautiful village which was in the distance as if the wolf was standing on a cliff above it. I smiled at it.

"It's beautiful," I whispered, and then I remembered my own drawing. "Oh, I nearly forgot." He looked at me as I reached into my bag and took the drawing out. "I…erm…wanted to get your opinion on this…" I held the picture out to him, "If you don't mind," I added quickly, not wanting to sound rude.

"Of course," he took the drawing from me and looked at it.

"It's beautiful," he mimicked my words from earlier but I knew he meant them, "I can see you care a lot about these magnificent creatures," he said with a strange warmth in his eyes, as if that alone had made him happy.

"Yes," I replied, though it wasn't a question.

He smiled down at me again. He still had hold of my hand and he squeezed it gently. "Mind if I keep this?" he asked, holding up the picture.

"Of course not," I replied, slightly stunned by his question. He folded it gently and placed it in his jacket.

I could hardly believe what was happening. Kiba liked me! He was holding my hand and smiling at me lovingly, it was like a dream.

The room was quieter now. No-one else had asked any question (maybe because they saw he was busy with me) and quite a few had left the room to look at the rest of the gallery. Kiba saw me looking around.

"Do you want to go now?" He asked sweetly. I nodded reluctantly, I didn't want to leave him, but I'd already seen every painting in this room. But as it turned out I didn't have to. "Mind if I escort you through the rest of the gallery?" he asked politely, though his grin ruined the whole effect. I just shook my head, too happy to speak. His smile got bigger and he reached his other arm around me and hugged me very briefly before leading me towards the narrow archway, with Grace following slightly behind, with a huge smile on her face.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next few hours were beautiful. Kiba was with me, us, the whole way, and we saw some wonderful art which was made even more amazing with Kiba commenting on the pieces with his artist knowledge. I noticed he kept looking at me often and was smiling the whole time. The only annoying thing was that people, his fans, kept coming up to us, him, sometimes in big crowds, and asked for his autograph or a photo with him. This irritated me quite a bit, but even that couldn't keep me down for long. I was too ecstatic. I was with the greatest artist, maybe even the greatest person in the world and he liked me! He held my hand as we walked through the rest of the corridors and viewing rooms of the gallery, only letting go to pull a strand of my hair away from my face in such a romantic way it made my heart flutter. But still, somehow, it felt like we had been together forever, and it must have looked like we'd known each other for months, not just the few hours we had known each other.

It was 2:00. 2 hours before we had to meet in the foyer to go home. Somehow we hadn't come across Amber or Kirsten, or any of our other friends. In the last 3 hours we had only seen a few people from our school wandering absently in the same room as us. I knew it was because everyone else would already have been to the rooms we were in, if they were going around logically. I was glad though. I didn't really want to have to face Amber or anyone else and have them ask questions about Kiba and me, as I knew they would.

But it was around this time that the weird stuff started happening. At first it was small things, such as random pipes suddenly appearing in my path and making me trip up. At least I thought they suddenly appeared as I never seemed to notice them before I tripped, though I could have just been paying to much attention to Kiba and not were I was walking. Luckily though, Kiba had good reflexes (and was watching me most of the time) and caught me before I completely fell, which stopped me from getting hurt. But then it got weirder.

The paintings looked like they were watching me. At first I thought it was nothing, just a trick of the light, or how they were intentionally painted, but then they started to _move. _I was the only one who saw it though so I decided, at first; it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. I didn't actually see them move, not in the beginning, but if I looked at a painting for a second time the people in it would be in a different position. For example in one painting I saw, a man and women were looking at each other deeply in love, and then, when I looked back at the painting, the man was staring directly at me! After a while of seeing different paintings change, I decided to ask the others about it.

"Hey Grace?" I asked, knowing Kiba would listen anyway, "Do the paintings seem suspicious to you, like they're moving or anything?" I knew I sounded stupid, but I had to ask. Kiba watched me, his face full of concern. Grace, however, burst out laughing. I glared at her, even though I had expected this reaction and was actually surprised Kiba wasn't laughing.

"Silly Jenny…" She said between fits of giggles, "Paintings don't move…" more laughter, "you must be imagining things, or going crazy." She was laughing so hard now; tears were beginning to run down her cheeks. I felt like crying to, she made me feel really embarrassed. I looked at the floor and began to laugh myself, a small nervous laugh. I still felt strange like I was being watched. Kiba was smiling now to.

"You're probably just tired," He said gently, stroking the back of my head. "The paintings look as they always do to me, but I will watch more closely now." And that was that. Kiba grabbed my hand again and we carried on walking through the corridors and rooms of the National Art Gallery and I began to relax.

It was 3:30. We were in one of the narrow corridors, looking at a painting that Kiba was particularly fond of. He was telling us about how it had inspired him to become an artist. I felt something touch my back. I thought it was Grace trying to scare me or something.

"Grace?"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't touch me, its not going to work," I said feeling happy that I'd caught her.

"Huh? I didn't touch you," She replied and I could tell she was telling the truth as she wasn't laughing, and sounded serious as she said it.

"Then what…?" I asked but decided to ignore it, it was probably just someone brushing past me, and we were in a narrow hallway after all. Kiba was looking at me with a worried expression.

"Are you okay?" he asked with a voice full of concern.

"Erm, yer," I replied, still feeling slightly confused but without really knowing why. Kiba smiled at me then we all looked at the painting again as Kiba continued his explanation. Then I felt it. Something was touching my back again. It moved up my spine, making it tingle, before it grabbed the back of my t-shirt and started yanking me backwards! I let out a yelp of surprise before looking over my shoulder to see that the painting behind me had _half come out the painting! _Its painted hand had become 3D and was trying to drag me back into the picture with it. Kiba had turned around as soon as he heard my yelp, and I heard him gasp as he saw the scene in front of him.

"Jenny!" Grace yelled as she ran forward and grabbed my arms, trying to pull me back. I felt like I was the rope in a game of tug-of-war. Kiba, meanwhile and ran to the extended arm and was trying to make it let go. I tried not to scream. I watched over my shoulder as Kiba hit and scratched at the paintings arm. Then, as he leaned forward and opened his mouth as if he was about to _bite_ the arm, the painting let go. And with an angry grunt, and a hateful stare, retreated back into its painting and resumed the position, I assume, it was painted in. As soon as it let go I fell to the floor, almost knocking Grace over as she let go as well. I was shaking and breathing really heavily with no idea of what just happened.

"_What the… hell… just happened?_" I half whispered around breaths. Kiba was kneeling next to me with one hand on my back, comforting.

"I have no idea," He replied and I could hear a mixture of fear and anger in his voice.

"Well, I don't want to be here to find out," Grace said, she was serious but there was a hint of mocking in her voice, or annoyance.

"Hmm…we should leave this corridor and get to a more open space," Kiba agreed.

I stood up shakily, with Grace and Kiba helping. We were all shaking but I was the worst. Part of it was out of fear, but part of it was out of not knowing what was happening. I had a strange feeling, and it wasn't pleasant.

We started walking to the end of the narrow corridor, and I noticed that both Grace and Kiba were watching me in a very protective way whilst also watching the walls and surveying the area for any additional threats. They looked so professional. And then there was me, just staring into space and shaking like I was in the middle of a snow storm.

Once I had gotten over the additional shock, I decided to talk and try to lighten the atmosphere.

"Why does this gallery hate me?" I asked, half joking, half serious. It must hate me, I realised. It wasn't just the painting trying to suck me in to it, but the other paintings watching me and the pipes and things that tried to trip me up. Something big and really strange was going on.

"Maybe it's just someone playing a really big practical joke, or actually part of the gallery experience?" Grace said, smiling a little at the thought we were all terrified by a joke.

"Maybe," Kiba replied, unconvinced.

We were nearing the end of the corridor, and we could hear the babble of voices of the school children as they started to gather in the foyer. _Good_, I thought, at least we'll be in the foyer when we leave this creepy corridor, and there will be lots of people around. I guessed it was about 3:45, so quite a few people would have gathered there by now, or would be in the small gift shop, just off the side. I sighed with relief, and felt Kiba's eyes watch me. And then he became tense and stopped dead, so did Grace.

"What is…?" I started to ask but before I could finish I heard it. A large bang which sounded like it was just outside the Gallery. And the worst, most bone-chilling thing was that it sounded like a _gunshot. _After I heard this I sprinted to the foyer, replacing my earlier fears with this new one. I both heard and felt Grace and Kiba sprinting beside me as I neared the archway.

As we ran out into the big entrance hall, we saw that everyone had huddled near the back, fearful eyes watching the door. And as we came to a stop near the middle back of the room, the musical sound of smashing glass echoed through the walls, as about 20 people in strange black outfits came bursting through the windows, each carrying a huge gun. Some of the men (I assumed they were men – there faces were covered) even used there guns to shoot down the window before coming through. I covered my ears against the harsh echoing noise of the shattering glass and gunshots, and noticed many others were too. I looked around quickly and most people in the room, more then three quarters from our school, were kneeling or ducking down, covering there whole heads and shaking with fear. I saw Kirsten and Amber among them, hugging each other in fear. Me, Grace and Kiba, however, were still standing, watching the men with fearful curiosity. The Men lined up in rows, in what looked like a battle formation, pointed there guns at the mass of people, but did not fire. I was breathing really heavily and hearts were thumping so hard that the air seemed to pulse with everyone's heart beats. As the noise began to die down, most people still crouched and huddled together, though a few stood up, some with a look of total confusion on there face, as the black-clothed men had not moved since getting in formation. A few minutes slowly passed, but everyone was still incredibly tense, especially Grace and Kiba. They were standing slightly in front of me in a strangely protective way, but the weird thing was their eyes were not on the dark soldier-like men, but were glued to the big front doors, which had no men in front of them. It seemed they somehow knew what was about to happen.

The great doors creaked and slowly they began to open. It was light behind them and the sun seemed just in the right position, as if put there by purpose, so that at first the figure that entered through the doors was just a dark siluette against an almost white background. But then the doors closed with a thump, and his face became perfectly clear.

He was a tallish man, with long, dark purplish hair, which fell neatly around his shoulders and down his back. His face was quite good looking, but he wore an eye patch over his left eye, which made him look creepy and mysterious, and the eye that was visible was a strange, purple-blue colour, just slightly lighter then his hair.

He took a few steps into the room, but stayed behind the line of men, who moved closer to close in the gap across the door, though still stood a little wide of this strange man.

As I looked at his face again, I noticed that his visible eye was staring directly at me! When he saw that I was looking at him, he smiled. A small, almost pleased smile, as if he were finding me amusing. I'm sure my face probably amusing, I must have looked so confused and scared.

Then he spoke.

"Hello," he said this gently but it echoed throughout the room regardless, and I'm sure everyone could hear, but he was still looking at me, talking directly to me! And the way he said it would have been more appropriate if we had just met on the street and he was politely saying hello. I tried to stay calm.

When I didn't reply he continued, "My name is Darcia, what is yours?" Kiba tensed at this. He could see he was talking to me and I could see he was glaring at this Darcia with such anger in his eyes.

"Don't tell him," Kiba whispered back to me in a hard, commanding tone, not taking his eyes from the man named Darcia. I did as Kiba told me. Darcia smiled again and then decided not to wait for an answer.

"Not going to tell me? That's a bit rude isn't it, _Jenny Stone?_"I felt my mouthpop open and my eyes widen. How did he know my name? And if he knew it already, why was he asking me, was he trying to be polite? I heard Kiba growl beside me, but I didn't think it was strange as I had growled before if something angered me, it was just habit. At least that's what I thought. He crouched slightly, as if tensing to jump at Darcia, and moved even more in front of me, standing almost completely between me and the strange, dangerous men and Darcia. Grace adjusted her position slightly too, became even more protective. I'd always wondered why she had always been so protective of me, she treated my safety like it was her job, but now I just thought it was crazy, and I felt like telling her to protect herself, but I was too afraid to speak.

"Yes, I know your name, _princess_," Darcia said the word princess as if I were royal and he didn't like it but he had to respect me.

"Princess?" I whispered it as a question; I was most defiantly not a princess. What did he mean? Kiba looked at me for the first time since we entered the foyer but his eyes quickly fell back on Darcia. Grace seemed to whisper something under her breath which sounded like 'damn' but I could have been mistaken. She glared at Darcia harder then she had been.

Darcia just smiled. "Oh, that's right, you don't know yet, do you?" he laughed lightly.

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm not a... a princess!" I almost shouted. I was getting really frustrated at this whole thing.

"Not yet," he replied cryptically, "And not ever if I have something to do with it," he added pleasantly. This time it was Grace that growled. I just stared back blankly, I was so confused, what the hell was he on about, was he going to _kill _me? The room was tense and I knew everyone was listening.

"You keep strange company," He was really grinning now, as if he was enjoying himself so much.

He moved his eye off of me to look quickly at Kiba and Grace, before he returned his gaze to me.

"What?" I really didn't understand what he was saying. Was he just trying to confuse me?

He continued as if I had never said anything "But I guess they want to be near their princess when she finally awakens…" he trailed off and his glare turned icy. I heard Kiba gasp at this. He turned his head to face me and looked at me in a way he hadn't looked at me before. I broke eye contact with Darcia to, and looked at Kiba with a look of complete confusion on my face, hoping he could give me some answers. Kiba ignored my pleading look and moved his eyes onto Grace who looked back at him and nodded her head slowly and deliberately, but only slightly, it was only just a movement.

I looked back at Darcia to find he had pulled a small vile out of his coat, which had a strange purplish liquid inside. His smile was evil now.

"Come to me, princess. Let me end this now, before anyone gets hurt," he smiled sweetly, and for a moment I almost fell for his gentlemanly act and went to him, before I caught myself and stopped.

"Why? What are you going to do to me if I come?" I asked, feeling my body tingle unpleasantly as if it already knew the answer.

"Oh, not much, I would just request that you drink this," he replied holding up the small vial.

"What's in it?" I asked, with frustration creeping into my voice.

"Poison," He replied casually as if he had just said grape juice or something.

"What?" Me, Grace and Kiba said conjointly. So he was trying to kill me!

"Don't…" Kiba started but I spoke over him.

"NO! WHY THE HELL WOULD I GO TO YOU AND DRINK _POISON_?" I exploded. I was having the best day ever until this guy showed up and _he wanted me to kill myself?_ I had had enough. I glared hatefully at the man in purple.

He simply smiled, took a step back and said, "Very well, maybe this will change your mind. Fire." He spoke the last would softly but it rang through my ears as if he had shouted it. At his command the men in black began to shoot there guns right into the mass of people. People screamed and ducked down as low as they could, trying to hide behind each other for protection. Kiba dragged me down to the floor as Grace crouched down next to us. Both of them positioned themselves so that they were in front of me, and so that if any bullets were aimed at me, they wouldn't hit. Fear shot through my body as if my racing heart was pushing it round. I was terrified that this man wanted me dead, terrified that he would succeed. But the thing that scared me the most was the thought that many others would get hurt in the process. Most of all I feared Kiba would get hurt trying to protect me, this fear was almost enough to make me run up to Darcia and take the poison. But I stayed where I was for one reason. None of the bullets had hit anyone. There were plenty of screams and whimpers of fear, but I noticed that there had been no cries of pain or agony. I glanced behind me and sure enough no-one appeared injured. All the bullets were coming close but none making contact with any of the bodies in the room. At first I thought it was because the men in black had really bad aim, but then I realised it was deliberate. They had been told to miss. At least for now. I turned back to face Darcia again and he was still smiling. When he saw me looking at him, he raised his hand and the men stopped shooting. They raised their weapons and stood in attention, almost like soldiers.

"Had enough?" He asked. I just stared, I couldn't speak, and I had too many thoughts going through my mind and didn't know what to say.

"Well now you know what happens if you won't come to me, will you still say no? Come to me and no-one gets hurt, don't and people _will_ be hurt this time… it's your choice." He smiled as he waited for my reply. But before I could get my thoughts together and speak, Kiba answered for me.

"No!" He growled and I couldn't tell if he was talking to me or Darcia.

"I…No…I can't," I was suddenly terrified again, and the anger, and pain in Kiba's voice told me that I couldn't stand hurting him. Plus if it got too bad, I could always stop it once it was started.

"Very well," Darcia said calmly. He lowered his hand and the shooting began again. Everyone screamed and cowered closer together, but this time, mixed in with the screams of fear were screams and cries of pain as the bullets sliced through skin. I looked behind me again and this time what I saw was more frightening and disturbing. The men wearing black still weren't shooting to kill but were aiming at arms and legs, causing the cursing and cries that echoed through the room. Many people, lots from out school including Kristen, were grabbing hold of wounds and gritting teeth against the pain. My eyes filled with tears as I watched the scene in front of me, and I knew that if I looked back at Darcia he would be smiling. And he had good cause to, he had won. I couldn't take this anymore. It was only a matter of time before Kiba or Grace was hurt. Or before someone was killed. I didn't want to be the cause of pain. I was scared, terrified, but I knew I had to die, my time had come.

Slowly I started to stand up. Kiba looked back at me when he felt me rising, and reached out and grabbed me, holding me halfway.

"What are you doing?" he asked, he sounded angry but I could hear the pain in his voice. His eyes were looking into mine, pleading.

"I have too…I can't … take this anymore," I was close to tears. I ripped my hand out of Kiba's and walked forward briskly. As I expected Darcia was smiling at me, and held the vial up higher. I took a deep breath as I walked slowly and shakily closer to Darcia.

"NO!" I turned to Kiba's agonised call. He was running up to me with pain clear on his face. Just as he reached me I heard a small laugh from Darcia's direction. Kiba ran in front of me and grabbed my shoulders. He had tears in his eyes and they were pleading.

All the shooting around us stopped and an eerie silence filled its place.

"Please don't…" Kiba started, and then one more shot echoed through the room. Kiba's body straitened then crumpled with pain as the bullet pierced through his back. He fell to the floor moaning and cursing.

"Kiba…" I whispered. This was all my fault. Tears were flowing down my cheeks.

And then his form shimmered and changed in front of me. One minute there was a man, gripping the floor hard and gritting his teeth against the pain, and the next was a whimpering wolf, blood staining his snow white fur.

I stared at the wolf and he stared back. We stayed like this for a few slow moments.

"A wolf…" I whispered. In that moment I knew what Kiba truly was. He was not a human, he was a wolf. An actual wolf, not just some shape shifting werewolf. I don't know how I realised this, but I did. His now yellow eyes were pleading, scared. He was afraid of my reaction. He whimpered again, but it was soft, not from pain. A small smile spread across my lips, a comforting smile, it was all I could manage. Tears were still rolling down my cheeks as I slowly knelt down next to the sitting wolf. Slowly, deliberately, I reached my hand out and rested it on his head, then carefully moved it down, flattening his ear and stroking down across his cheek and under his chin. He moved his head into my hand, closing his eyes for the briefest of seconds. I reached my other hand up and cupped both his cheeks in my hand. I was in love with a wolf. I knew this yet I didn't care. He whimpered painfully, and then his form started to shiver in front of me and then there was a man in front of me again. My hands were still on his cheeks and slowly he lifted his hands up and put them on mine. He winced a lot against the pain as he did, and his breathing was heavy and ragged. He looked directly in my eyes, and his eyes were still pleading, and I could see deep pain in them.

"Please…" He pleaded, barely audibly, breathing heavily around the words.

"Please…don't…go…please," I took my hands off his face and turned my head away. This was torturing me. I couldn't look at him anymore.

"I... I have to…; I can't see anyone else get hurt…" I said brokenly, the pain and fear seeping into my voice. I stood up as I said it, facing Darcia again. I took a small, shaky step forward.

"Please…?" It was a broken whisper. Kiba was still kneeling, his back now facing me. He sounded so upset that I almost turned back to hug him, and tell him I would never leave. But I didn't. It took all my strength but I kept walking shakily forward.

"Cant…you stop…her? Cant…. you do….something?" Kiba was talking to someone else, the tears obvious in his voice.

"No… I…I, I've protected her all her life…but I can't…stop her now…" Grace. He was talking to Grace. She sounded just as upset as Kiba.

"Can't you…even try?"

"No… it's her choice… it wouldn't…be right."

I risked a small look over my shoulder. Grace was kneeling on the floor still; she was looking at Kiba, tears flowing steadily from her reddened eyes. She looked tortured. Why was I doing this? Why was I causing those I cared about so much pain, doing something I didn't want to do – was afraid to do? I took another deep breath, shook my head to clear it of all my thoughts.

"I'm…sorry," I whispered, not sure if anyone actually heard me. Darcia was looking serious for the first time when I turned back to face him. I took the last few steps quicker. I was still terrified but I didn't want the pain to go on any longer.

I was standing in front of Darcia; he looked solemn as he lifted up the vial one last time.

"I'm truly sorry about this," he said as he handed me the vial, "But I cannot let you live and awaken."

His words meant nothing to me, but I slowly reached out and took the vial out of his hand. I stared at the purple liquid inside. My stomach was turning fiercely, I was frightened. The vial was shaking in my hand, making the liquid inside move around. I took the lid of. I heard whispers and moans from behind me, and I heard Kiba whimper.

Slowly I brought the shaking vial to my lips, and then I drunk. It tasted strange, bad and good at the same time.

"Well done," Darcia said quickly. He made a quick motion with his hand and the men in black filed out of the building through the big front door. Darcia bowed, waved, and then followed them out. The door slammed shut behind, and silence followed. I dropped the vial and fell to my knees. My head felt slightly dizzy, but that wasn't the reason. I was crying so hard I couldn't stand anymore. I felt my shoulders rise and fall as I sobbed. I just kept repeating over and over, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was faintly aware of whispers and movement behind me, but I couldn't focus on any of it. I was dying.

I coughed, I don't think I needed to, it was more a reflex, but it was painful. Then there was a hand on my back, a breath in my ear.

"It'll be okay," Kiba comforted. I could tell he didn't believe his words, but he was trying to. I lifted my head up and looked at him.

"I'm scared," I said weakly.

"I know," he whispered, and then he knelt down and hugged me, pulling me as close to him as he could. We were both crying hard so we both shook with the movement. I buried my head in his chest, and tried to get control of myself. I was surprised Kiba wasn't mad at me, or shouting at me for going against him, but I guess he wanted to have good last memories of me. I cried harder at the thought that he had forgiven me.

Kiba lay down, pulling me with him. He was lying on his back which I thought must have been really painful but if it was, it didn't show. I rested my head on his chest and he wrapped his arm around me.

"I'm sorry," I apologised; I didn't know what else to do.

"I know," he repeated. And there I lay for a few slow seconds, huddling up to my wolf in a human disguise.

I coughed again, this time it was worse, it hurt my throat badly and as I stopped coughing a strange empty dizziness filled my head. Kiba stroked my back, sympathetically. Then he did something I did not expect him to do. With his free hand he lifted my chin up so I was facing him, pulled me up his chest a little more, then bent his neck and head down to me, and just as a realised what he was about to do, his lips were on mine and he was kissing me. At first I was too stunned to do anything, but then I kissed him back carefully. My first and last kiss. Or at least I thought. Just as I was starting to get into it, a sharp pain pierced through my head, making it feel like it was splitting open.

I pulled away, and moved onto my knees, clutching my head with my hands, trying to get rid of the pain. I shut my eyes, blocking out the blinding light.

Kiba kneeled next to me. I could feel that he wanted to say something, but he didn't know what. I cried out in pain and bent over. My head started to hurt more, but the pain became more concentrated, in two parts of my head, and it felt like something was trying to break out. Then I felt the skin rip and part as two things broke through. As this happened, my ears seemed to disappear, but I could still hear. I realised that what had broken through my head were ears, they were the ears of a wolf. As I realised this, sharp pain shot through my tailbone as it extended and broke through to the surface. Then the pain stopped as something awoke in me, I felt a strange warmth run through my veins and new feelings and thoughts, new urges, filled my head, as the pain subsided, taking the empty dizziness with it.

I opened my eyes, I could see so much clearer then I used to, picking up smaller details from further away. I moved my new ears, twitching them experimentally. Then wagged my new tail in an attempt to understand what had just happened. Had I died and become a half wolf thing? I looked at Kiba, who was staring at me with a look of utter bewilderment. As he saw me looking his form became that of a wolf and he lowered his front half down, leaving his back up. It was the position dogs used when they wanted to play. But Kiba did not want to play, he was bowing. Bowing to me.

"Wha…?" I started to ask but then someone shouted.

"Blue, get back here!" I turned and saw the security guard trying to grab his dog from his position on the floor, while she walked among the crouching people. His voice was still weak with fear. The animal walked into the clearing that had remained around me and Kiba and then it to, bowed down in front of me. It to, was a wolf. I was so confused.

"Please, someone tell me what's going on…" I almost pleaded. Kiba stood up straight, and I noticed his wound was almost completely healed already. He looked me in the eyes.

"You are the wolf princess," He said, but his lips did not move. His words were put straight in my mind. I was about to ask another question but he saw the look of confusion in my eyes and continued. "It is you destiny, rather it is prophesised that you will bring man to love and care for wolves again, and bring wolves to respect and admire man once more. Your are half wolf, half human, you have a bit of each species in you, so you can bring about peace. You will stop the extinction of wolves from this world." His voice had turned hopeful at the end, and I could hear the pleasure in it.

He took on his human form again, and hugged me. Then he looked at Grace. "Did you know about this?" he asked her, though he sounded like he knew the answer.

"No, why would I? I'm not a wolf like you, I'm just a weak little human," Grace said the last bit like a joke which made me a little suspicious, but I didn't think she would lie to Kiba, or to me. He looked confused for a second then as if he realised something he nodded, said sorry, and then looked back at me. I smiled at him.

"I'm not dying anymore," I said. The effects the poison had had on me seemed to be lifting and I felt much better.

He smiled, "Good. It's probably because the poison does not work on wolves," he smiled and kissed me again. A celebratory kiss. And I kissed him back.

"Oh my god! You're a freak!" I heard someone shout from the crowed of people. I recognised the voice. I broke away from the kiss and turned to face Kristen, who was now standing up (holding her arm - which had been shot) and looking at me with a look of complete horror on her face.

"I can't believe I was ever friends with a monster like you!" she shouted at me, looking completely disgusted with herself.

"What?" I asked, feeling angry and annoyed that she would be so shallow as to feel different about me after what had just happened. "How can you say that?" the hurt was seeping into my voice to.

But Grace spoke before Kristen could answer.

"What the hell Kristen? You spoiled brat! She's still the same girl that was your friend so you should be sympathising with her for what she's just been through, not insulting her!" Grace looked really angry and Kirsten looked at her bewildered. Grace was always quite and calm. Grace wasn't the only one angered by Kristen outburst, Blue was growling at her, and Kiba was glaring at her looking as if he wanted to rip her head off.

I, on the other hand, wasn't too bothered. I was hurt, sure, but I never really got on with Kristen, I just tried to because she and Amber were best friends, and she was one of the group.

All around people were starting to stand up, dust themselves off and talk about what had just happened. More people were entering the room from the rest of the gallery and asking questions. I noticed the security guard was on the phone, and I guessed he was calling the police.

Then panic shot through me. I didn't want people to know I was half wolf, not yet. The room knew, but that was it, but I was sure as soon as the police turned up they would all tell and I would probably end up in some laboratory having tests done on me all the time. Either that or dead. I was already getting a lot of uncertain, even some angry looks from many in the crowd, the ones who didn't like wolves. I looked at Kiba again, who was already looking back at me.

He saw the worry in my eyes.

"What is it?" he asked gently, his hand caressing my cheek as he said it.

"People will know," I replied simply, sadly.

"Do you not want them to? He sounded a little shocked, almost upset by this.

"No…"

He nodded understandingly, and then he stood up and faced the mass of people.

"What happened here today must remain here. It is now a secret which no-one can tell," he said in a commanding, yet powerful voice.

Many people shouted at this outburst.

"Why should we listen to you, mutt?" I heard one man say, and it was followed by a chorus of "yeah's".

"Because, ape…" Kiba retorted, "If you do not, I will hunt you down and kill you. Also you will damage this girl's life and the lives of many others and you will start a war." He threatened. Many people glared or shouted angrily at this, so he changed tactics. His voice went soft and his face pleading.

"Please? Please don't condemn this girl just because she is something you do not understand. Let her live as normal for now, and when the time is right, then she will be revealed to the world." He sounded so sad, but also so convincing. Faces softened and people started to agree.

"But what about the ears and tail?" One woman asked from the crowd, "How will she hide them?" she almost sneered.

"We will find away."

The woman made an unpleased sound at his answer but nodded. Then the man that first spoke said,

"Fine, we will keep her secret, but what do we tell the police?"

"Tell them as much of the truth as you can. Men came in with guns and shot at us, and another man tried to poison one of us but it didn't work." Kiba sounded as if he had thought of this already.

Everyone in the room nodded, just as sirens sounded, a little away from the Gallery. Soon after, police men were swarming in through the doors, and others were visible outside, examining the broken windows.

One, who I assumed was in charge, walked straight through, past me and Kiba and up to the security guard, who was standing right at the back examining people's wounds and trying to calm them down. Kiba helped me to my feet and put his arm around me as blue walked to my side and Grace ran up and hugged me.

"I'm so glad your okay!" she exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around me, hugging me so tightly that I struggled to breathe, "Now don't you ever do that again!" She half shouted at me, as she let go. I just smiled at her.

Just then a police officer, the one who had spoken to the security guard, walked over to us, with a serious look on his face.

"I hear you were the centre of this…crime, am I right?" He asked, sounding unsure of the wording he was using, but looking confident as he looked me in the eyes.

"Erm, yes, I guess," I replied a bit nervous as to what exactly he was referring to. He got his notepad out and jotted something down, then continued with his questioning. I noticed we weren't the only ones being questioned, and that other officers had made there way to other groups of people.

"Is it true that a man named…" he looked at his notepad, "…Darcia, tried to poison you for an unknown reason?"

I knew the reason now, and I didn't feel like lying, but we had told everyone else to, so I did.

"Yes."

"But the dose was not high enough and it passed?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, if you could give me your details, we may need to question you later. Meanwhile we should get a paramedic to check you out…"

I gave him my details and said no thank you to the paramedics, afraid they would find out my secret, and he tried to insist I get checked out but in the end I convinced him there was no need.

He walked away in a slight huff, and went to consult with other officers.

Mr Smith came over to us, and he seemed quite calm considering the nightmare that had just happened.

"Are you ok?" he asked me, sounding truly concerned.

"I think so…" I replied and tried to smile reassuringly. Kiba reached his had up and stoked one of my ears.

"They're beautiful," he murmured as if it were only us there.

"Yes, they are," Mr Smith agreed to my surprise, at all of our surprised looks he continued, "I think the world needs someone like you to bring creature and man closer…"

"It is good we have human support," Kiba replied, smiling kindly at Mr Smith, with what looked like slight amazement in his eyes. I smiled to, wagging my new tail without really thinking about it, I would have to get used to my new wolf behaviours - it felt weird.

"You have my support too," Grace said with a smile in her voice.

"Yes, but you don't count," Kiba smiled, and ruffled her hair as if they were really good mates. I laughed at this, I don't know why, but I did. Everyone laughed then, keeping away any stress. Kiba put his arm around my waist and kissed my cheek, causing me to blush.

Mr Smith looked at his watch.

"I hope we can leave soon, we're really late, we were supposed to be back at school 1 and a half hours ago," he said worriedly. As if the chief policeman had heard him, he stood in the centre at the back and cleared his throat.

"You may now all leave, but we may need to interview anyone of you again," he announced, then he turned and consulted with others.

"Well, I better round up the kids," Mr Smith winked at us, then hurried off to get the other teachers together to round up the other children.

I looked at Kiba.

"Don't worry," he said, taking hold of my chin, "I plan on coming with you," he smiled and I smiled too. I had no idea how he was going to manage it, but I had faith he would. But Blue whined next to me.

"Sorry Blue, you're not mine to take," I said softly, bending down to stroke her head.

"Oh, you can 'ave her," came a voice behind me. I turned around and saw the security guard standing there, looking down sadly at Blue.

"Are you sure?" I asked, sensing he loved his dog (at least that's what he thought she was)

"Yeah, she's more use to you now."

"Thank you," I whispered, and I heard that Blue too said thank you to her old master.

"But my mum won't let me keep a pet, and if by some miracle she did, I'd only be allowed one - and Kiba needs a place to stay..." I said sadly. But then an idea struck me and my face lit up. I turned to face Grace. "You could keep her!" I exclaimed excitedly.

"Erm...well...okay," she sighed looking down at blue and smiling. Blue looked as if she were smiling back as if they were sharing another little private joke.

Many people were starting to leave now and the police were starting to put tape up around the windows. The teachers had begun to lead the students outside in lines, and Spencer came and told us to follow them out, and to go straight to our couches, which we would be registered on, to avoid us getting caught up in crowds.

So me, Grace, Kiba and Blue followed Spencer out of the building and into a crowded Trafalgar Square. The sky was slightly dark from overhead clouds and the ground was teaming with crowds of people, policemen and reporters.

As soon as the reporters saw Kiba, they swarmed on us like bees drawn to honey.

"Kiba can you tell us…"

"Kiba what was it like…"

Kiba stopped politely, to answer questions, and me and Grace stopped with him.

"One at a time please," was the first thing he said, and immediately the reporters shut up.

Then one at the front asked, "What exactly happened in there, and do you think it had anything to do with the fact you were there?" The small black haired reporter asked.

"I'm sure the police would tell you if they wanted you to know, and no it was not about me," he smiled sweetly, looking as if he was almost sorry he couldn't tell them anything, although I could tell it was just an act. More questions were fired at Kiba and he answered them as best he could, whilst me and Grace stood behind him, waiting for him to finish. I was feeling slightly ill again and blamed it on my new senses. Even though it was overcast, it was still bright to me, and all the noise, the talking of people, the cooing of pigeons, the roar of traffic, was hurting my ears and giving me a headache. I could smell well too, and some of the smells I was receiving were making me feel sick, whilst others were so nice, and some even made me hungry – it was so confusing!

My head felt so bad that I wobbled slightly on my feet. Kiba saw me out of the corner of his eyes and steadied me, looking at me with very worried eyes. He kept his hands on my waist and pulled me closer to him, so I could lean on him.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked me, with worry and concern leaking into his voice. I nodded carefully, and lowered my ears down, to try and block some of the noise. He didn't look convinced.

As Kiba did this the media sparked up again, asking Kiba lots of questions about me; who was I? Were we going out? Was I just a friend? I blushed at some of the questions they were answering, but Kiba seemed perfectly calm, perfectly confident.

He tried to answer all their questions in one. "She is someone I care very deeply about." That was his answer. I knew this already but it still sounded beautiful as he said it, and made me smile.

As the reporters were about to ask more questions, Spencer came up to us again with an impatient look on his face.

"Could you hurry up please, we need you on the coach now," He said in his 'teacher tone' and then he walked off again, before any of us could say sorry. Grace giggled as we looked at each other, and I smiled. Spencer was hardly ever angry and he wasn't very good at being angry when he was. Kiba watched as he walked away, and then apologised to us, though I don't really know why. The reporters looked as if they were about to ask more questions, so Kiba cut them off.

"I'm sorry, but I must go now, I have a bus to catch," he smiled at them, nodded his head as a goodbye, then walked after Spencer, pulling me along with him as Grace followed behind. My tail was wagging quite a bit as we walked to the buses through the crowds. I tried to stop it, it must have looked so strange, and wasn't helping my 'keep it a secret' thing, but I was so happy I couldn't stop it. I was feeling slightly dizzy again, but blamed it on the fact it had been a long day, and that my body was getting used to the changes that had happened to it. I leaned into Kiba more, making him take more of my weight. I didn't look at him but I could feel him looking at me and I could smell worry, and slight fear emanating from him.

As we were nearing the coaches, a girl came up to me. She was about 7, and was holding a stuffed animal, that looked like a wolf. As she approached me I wondered were her parents were. She stopped in front of me and looked up at my face, she didn't seem afraid.

"Hello," I said softly, wondering why she was in front of me.

"Hi," she replied confidently. I looked at her, willing her to continue, and she looked back at me without saying anything. I opened my mouth, about to ask her what she wanted, when at last she spoke.

"Your ears and tail are very realistic," she said. It was a statement, but I sensed the curiosity behind it, "Where did you get them?"

I blinked, I hadn't thought of this yet.

"Erm… Kiba made them for me," I replied at last, He was an artist after all, and out of the corner of my eye I saw him nodding. It took all my strength not to wag my tail at the happiness that I had come up with something.

"Wow, can you make me some?" the little girl exclaimed. Kiba looked like he was thinking for a few seconds, before gently shaking his head and saying, "I'm sorry but for now I do not have the time or materials, maybe another time." The way he said it was very convincing, and he actually sounded sorry. The girl nodded then ran off, back to find her parents I expected. I turned to Kiba and smiled, he smiled too, but his eyes were still worried.

Soon after we had arrived at the parked couches, and Spencer was standing by a single-decker one, watching us impatiently. We walked over quickly, not wanting to upset him anymore and got on the coach. He gave Kiba a funny look but did not say anything as he boarded with us.

The driver refused to let Blue on, so she walked away and then came back in a human form. I looked at her for a moment taking in her new appearance. She smiled at me and then we all walked onto the coach.

By some miracle, considering we were probably the last to get on the coaches, the seats at the back of the bus were still there, so we walked slowly to the back, and sat on four of the five seats. I sat in the very middle, with Kiba next to me one side and Grace next to me the other with Blue sitting next to Grace, looking out the window at the darkening sky. When we were settled Spencer marked our names off on the register. I looked around and noticed we were no longer in forms, and I assumed that in the rush and panic, the teachers had just ushered everyone onto random coaches to make it quicker. I also noticed that Amber and Kristen were on a different coach, for which I was grateful. I had no idea how Amber felt about me now but I was not up to facing Kristen. The coach started to move and soon we were driving through London on our way back to the school. Mr smith was on the phone to the school telling them we were in our way and explaining why we were late. I rested my head on Kiba's shoulder and he wrapped his arm around me. I yawned. I was so tired, it had been a long day.

"Why don't you sleep," Kiba suggested gently, I nodded against his arm and closed my eyes. Kiba stroked my shoulder with his hand and it felt really good and I remember thinking that wolves really are like dogs - they like being stroked and touched. And then I felt sorry for the wild wolves. They never got human contact and were constantly under threat from them. I was glad that Kiba had found the human world, and I was glad that Blue had had someone to pet her. I didn't care if wolves hated humans or if they thought they were superior, they need humans. Slowly I began to drift into the state of sleep, my mind began to shut off.

And then I coughed. It brought me straight back from my almost-sleep and at first I was disorientated. When I was no longer confused I noticed the strange empty dizziness was in my head again and my heart froze. I had been wrong before. The poison was not gone, it was just dormant. A tear trickled slowly down my cheek.

"Jenny, what's wrong?" Kiba was panicked, he almost knew what was coming.

"Kiba…I…" I couldn't say it, because if I did it would be true. I looked up at him instead.

"No…" he whispered, as he could see the only thing that would make me act like this.

"I…I feel the same way…the same way I did when…when I was poisoned," I finally managed looking into Kiba's eyes and watching for his reaction. His eyes half closed and his breath came out in a sad sigh.

"Damn," was all he said. I coughed again and he undid my seatbelt and pulled me onto his lap. I rested my head were his neck met his shoulder and he hugged me close.

"Don't die," Grace was whispering desperately, "I thought the poison was gone?"

"No," Blue chimed in, "Not gone… just pushed back, held back by the wolf DNA, but, if I'm right, still spreading through the human cells which still make up half her body…"

We all stared at her, shocked. What she said had made a lot of sense. We thought it had been made useless when I became half wolf, but that was it I was only half wolf and the poison could still effect half of me, it was just slower. I was crying now. Terrified tears rolling like waterfalls down my cheeks. This time I was even more frightened then before. Last time, even though I hadn't known about it there had been a way out, but that was gone now. I'd been saved once, there was no hope now.

Mr smith had heard me sniffing, and was now making his way up the aisle to see what was wrong. Kiba looked seriously, almost glaringly, up at him as he approached.

"The day's been stressful, huh?" he asked, smiling, obviously trying to cheer me up, not knowing what was really wrong.

I turned my head round and looked at him helplessly. I couldn't talk. I couldn't tell him what was really wrong.

But I didn't need to speak. Because just then I coughed. The cough felt wet and as I looked in my hand I saw the reason why. Blood. Fresh red blood was on the hand I had coughed in. I stared at it too shocked to do, or say, anything.

"Jenny…" Kiba's voice was again just a broken whisper, and I could hear Grace crying next to us.

Mr Smith just stared silently at me his eyes wide and sad. I lifted my eyes from my hand and looked Mr Smith right in the eyes, then broke down crying again. Suddenly Kiba undid his seatbelt and stood up moving me, quite smoothly actually, so that he had me cradled against his chest.

"STOP THE COACH!" Kiba shouted once he had me firmly in his arms. I looked up at his face past my tears, wondering what he was doing. Mr Smith took a step back to give him room.

"Sit down in the back," the coach driver said, without even slowing down or looking behind him.

I could see from the look on his face, that Kiba was about to shout out again, but Mr Smith spoke first.

"Please stop the coach," he almost commanded, knowing that as a teacher the driver would have to listen to him. The coach slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road. Kiba wobbled a bit as we stopped, as he was already moving down the aisle. People were watching curiously as the coach doors swung open and Kiba carried me carefully down the steps and onto the grass at the side of the road. I was faintly aware that we were on the motorway somewhere and that a lot of traffic was rushing past, but the noise felt so distant, like it was very far away. My head was feeling really empty and yet, somehow, it still really hurt. All I wanted was to close my eyes and go to sleep but I knew that would be giving up so I resisted. Kiba knelt down slowly and lay me gently on the grass, but with kept my upper half held in his arms. Everyone else was coming off the bus and crowding around to see what was going on, and I'm sure Grace and Blue were near me somewhere but in the shadows of the crowd, all I could see was Kiba, all I could feel. My breath was ripping out of me and I could feel it getting weaker. I turned away from Kiba and coughed, blood spilling into a small puddle on the grass.

I looked at Kiba's face again. It was screwed up with pain and he was crying.

"I'm sorry," I said in a hoarse whisper. And then my eyes slid shut. Pictures flowed around on the back of my eyelids. I thought about all the memories I had, the good and the bad.

And then the scenery in my mind changed. I was standing in the wood, and it was covered in snow, and snow was still falling from the frozen sky. Everything was white. There was not sound, other then the beating of my heart as it pumped death around my body.

_Don't give in, _a strange voice echoed through the frozen trees. I walked towards it, wondering if I were dreaming or dead. I also noticed that inside myself I had normal ears, and no tail. Two trees, slightly taller then the others, stood slightly apart and were like a natural gateway, with an opening beyond them. I walked past them and the air clouded with the snow. When it cleared I saw there was another shape, standing a few feet away. As the Snow began to thin I saw that it was a wolf. I instantly recognised it. It was my wolf half. _Don't give in_, it echoed again. But there is nothing I can do, I thought knowing it would hear.

_There is a way out_, it replied. And suddenly Blue's words echoed through my head, and the snowy world dissolved around me, until there was just black. I opened my tired eyes, new hope in my pounding head.

Kiba looked straight into my eyes, small relief present in them, obviously he, like I, thought that I would not open my eyes again. I smiled, weakly.

"Kiba…I," I started, but I could feel my self slipping, my soul preparing to leave. I had no time to ask, I had to just take. Slowly, using nearly all the energy I had left I reached my hand up and placed it on Kiba's chest, just above where he held my head. Carefully I dug my nails into his flesh and pulled my hand down piercing his skin, tearing through his t-shirt.

"Jenny…what?" he was looking down at me with confusion clear in his expression, his eyes wide and worried. I removed my hand and lifted my head up, just a little and let my tongue slip out and lick his blood, which was flowing steadily from his wound. It tasted like metal, like iron, and I wanted to pull away and forget this plan, but I knew it was my last chance to live, so I moved my head closer, until my lips, my mouth was against the cut. I closed my mouth around and began to drink his blood. It felt warm as it flowed down my throat but it also felt a little sticky and it wasn't very nice.

"What is she doing? Is she a vampire now?" Grace asked and she sounded serious and very worried.

"No," Blue said in a whisper as she realised what I was doing, "She's saving herself!" I could hear the smile in her voice, the relief flooding through it.

"Huh?"

"Remember what I said? She is only half wolf - only half her blood is wolf, which is not enough to stop the poison…" she left it open, hoping the others would catch on by themselves.

I heard the gasp as Kiba realised where she was going.

"But, with more wolf blood in her she can stop the poison!" He finished for Blue and he sounded so relieved so happy I almost pulled away just to look at his face, but I didn't, I kept drinking, getting his wolf blood into my system and hoping like hell it would work, that his blood would mix with mine, even for a little and give the poison nothing to feed off. I knew this was what the wolf in me meant, I knew this was my way out, deep down I knew. I kept drinking, I knew it would be a while but I kept going until the effects of the poison began to wear off.

Grace and Kiba now understood why I was doing what I was doing, and Kiba even put his hand on the back of my head and helped hold it in place as I drank from him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered between mouthfuls, feeling bad that I hadn't asked him before, although I am sure he would have said yes.

Slowly my head began to stop hurting and the emptiness dissolved and I felt better, but I kept drinking, not wanting to stop too soon and have the poison return - it would be too painful. About 15 minutes after starting to drink Kiba's blood, I stopped. I took my mouth away slowly, wondering how much of his blood I had actually taken, and hoping that I hadn't hurt him. Kiba moved my head back and we looked at each other. He looked very tired, and a little pale. He smiled at me, a small smile, but a very relieved smile. I smiled back as best I could. I was shaking and my mouth tasted horrible, but I was alive and, I hoped, the threat of the poison was now completely gone. Kiba reached his hand up and wiped my chin with his thumb, and then licked the little bit of blood off of it.

"JENNY!" Grace was kneeling next to me hugging me awkwardly. Kiba laughed.

"Don't laugh at me, mutt," she said before she to started laughing with relieved laughter. Everyone around us began to move away and go back onto the coach, until it was just me, Kiba, Grace, Blue and Mr Smith still sitting (or standing) around he grassed area, laughing.

"I'm glad you're ok," Mr Smith said with genuine relief in his voice, "But we do need to get back to the school at some point," he said, half joking, half serious. I nodded and stood up carefully, wobbling a bit as I got to my feet, but regaining my balance quickly. Kiba and Grace stood up to and Kiba wrapped his arm around my waist as we headed back to the coach. He had to let go as we got on, as the aisle was only big enough for one at a time. I sat down in the same seat as before and the others followed. Once we were all once again seated the coach began to move again as we headed home. Kiba put his arm around my shoulders again and I leant on his shoulder and without saying a word, I closed my eyes and slipped into a dreamless sleep.

_8888_

I don't know how long it had been since I fell asleep but I could feel that the atmosphere on the coach had changed, even before I opened my eyes. I opened them slowly yawning as I did. I realised that Kiba was stroking my ear, and I think he had been doing it for a long time, but it felt really nice.

"Feeling better?" he asked looking down at me. I nodded, not thinking I was awake enough to talk.

"Good," he bent down and kissed the ear he'd been stroking. Suddenly the coach lurched and stopped and, curiously I looked out the window. To my surprise we were back at the school. There were concerned looking parents, and other teachers who didn't go on the trip (and some of those who were on the other coaches) who were watching as the doors opened and people filed of the coach. Just as Kiba, Grace and Blue began to get up, I stopped them.

"Wait, we need to figure out what we're gonna do with you two," I said looking at Kiba and Blue.

"Okay," Kiba said looking at me.

I stood and thought for a minute.

"You guys have to get off," the coach driver said impatiently.

I didn't bother to acknowledge.

"I know, Kiba, Blue, can you be your true form please?" I said politely and they nodded, and then there were two wolfs standing near me. "Okay, play along." I smiled as I walked off the coach, knowing that they were following. As we stepped out on the pavement, Kiba fell into step next to me and Blue next to Grace, who was behind, which was perfect. I reached down and rested my hand on Kiba's head as we walked. I saw my dad standing over by his small car, looking a little worried but also a little angry, he must have been here for quite a while, and that wasn't good. I strolled over casually, nervous with the thought of what I was about to ask.

"Hi Daddy," I said as I hugged him. Kiba stood a little back, with Grace and Blue behind him. He looked up at me, watching protectively.

"Hello… is there a reason you have a dog following you?" he asked nodding at Kiba.

"Yes," I replied, not giving the reason.

"And it is…?"

"He's mine… now… Can I keep him?" I asked, the words flooding out because I didn't know how else to ask.

"Nope," he said simply. Kiba whined, then sat down lifted one of his paws up and rested it on his nose, looking down and to the side with puppy dog eyes. He was begging. He looked so cute!.

"He's clever, but still no," Dad said. Kiba sat straight and let out air that sounded like a sigh.

"Now we have to get home, your already late enough," Dad's voice was stern and the anger was seeping into it.

"But he's my guardian," I blurted out, thinking on my feet. My dad just looked at me, raising his eyebrows. I sighed.

"It's not a dog, it's a wolf," I said seriously, looking down, afraid of what he would say.

"Huh?"

"Look at my head, my ears? And my tail," I added with a smile. Then I sighed again and at his confused look continued. "I'm the wolf princess, I got awakened when…never mind… but anyway I'm supposed to help the wolves and stop them becoming extinct. I'm half wolf." I looked away as I said it, looking at Kiba. "Ki…er…Wolfie…" I corrected, quickly coming up with a name, not wanting daddy to make the connection between the wolf and the artist, "Needs to stay near me, to protect me… to help me…" I almost pleaded towards the end, wanting him to believe me so badly, to let me take Kiba home. I also didn't want my parents to know I had almost died.

"Really?" he asked sounding sceptical. Kiba nodded as I said 'really', wagging my tail to add proof.

"Fine you can take the dog, I mean wolf home, but we really must get going, your mother is worried," he looked at me then at Kiba and got in the car. I opened the back door and let Kiba jump in and then turned to Grace.

"Where's your mum?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh I'm walking home," she replied. I'd never actually met, or even seen Grace's mum, and to tell the truth she didn't seem like a very good mother, she was never around and Grace was always hanging at my house.

"Do you want a lift?" I asked, though I didn't actually know where she lived (her mum wouldn't let me visit).

"Erm… No thanks, I'll walk, I'm sure Blue would like the exercise," She smiled, waved goodbye and then headed off in the direction of the school gates. I felt sorry for her for a minute, it was dark, but somehow I felt she would be safe, she was strong after all. I waved back, and then climbed in the car after Kiba. I did my seatbelt up, then wondered if I should try and seatbelt Kiba up, but decided not to. He lay down across the back seat and rested his head on my lap. I stroked his nose, than ran my hand down his back continuously. He closed his eyes content.

As we set off out of the school grounds and down the road I looked at the little clock on the dashboard. 9:30. It was quite late, and because of the day I had, I would probably go straight to bed when we got home, and then I'd probably go to pets at home tomorrow, to get stuff for Kiba, if he was going to be staying. I looked at the window all the way home, whilst absently stroking Kiba the whole way. When we got to our house, I got out the car, held the door open so Kiba could jump out, grabbed my bag, and then shut the car door. My mum opened the front door as we walked up the small drive, and she looked at me unhappily, almost angrily.

"You were supposed to be home at 7!" She said as I walked through the front door. I didn't answer. Instead I took my shoes off and started up the stairs before I realised that Kiba wasn't following me. I looked back and saw him nervously hovering in the doorway, my mum watching him cautiously.

"Here Wolfie," I said remembering the name I'd given him. He looked up at me, hovering halfway up the stairs watching him, and then he walked in and followed me up the stairs, moving very gracefully.

"Wait, what are you doing bringing that dog in here?" she asked, almost shouted, but as I was about to answer my dad answered for me,

"I said she could keep him, I'll explain later," he looked at her then walked into the living room.

"I'm going to bed," I said as they walked into the room, "Wolfie will sleep on my floor." I added then ran the rest of the way up the stairs, with Kiba following. I opened the door to my room and let Kiba walk in first. He stopped a little way in and looked around. My room was decorated in purple and brown with many wolf photos in wood and fur frames covering the wall. I had a big double bed in the middle which had a wooden frame with a wolf carved in the headboard, and about a million soft toys taking up one side. Kiba's mouth opened slightly. Then his head moved to the pin board I had on the wall above my desk. Pinned to it were many drawings of wolves and werewolves, and a few paintings of forests that I had drawn.

"They're beautiful," his voice said straight into my head.

"Thank you," I replied.

He turned around and looked at me as I shut my bedroom door. His mouth looked as if it was smiling. I smiled back, bent down, stroked his head and then hugged it, stroking his ruff. I stood up then got my pyjamas off my bed and went to the bathroom to get changed and brush my teeth. I knew I couldn't do this every day so I would have to figure out another way to get changed not in front of Kiba. In the bathroom I reflected back through the day, how it had started out normal, with Grace pushing me out the bed, going to school and talking to our friends. How it became the best morning after meeting Kiba for the first time, and spending the whole afternoon with him. How everything went strange, and how the painting attacked me, which I have now decided must have had something to do with Darcia. How Darcia attacked and how I almost died to save everyone. Then I had to stop because the thought of Kiba's pain filled face was too painful. I shook my head and then walked back to my bedroom. Kiba was lying on the floor, his head resting on his paws. His eyes followed me as I walked to my bed. I turned the lamp on, that was on my bed side table, then walked over and turned the main light off. Kiba looked lonely on the floor and I was still a bit shaky after the day, so I walked back over to my bed and pushed all my soft toys onto the floor, unfortunately they were on the side Kiba was lying to they all tumbled on top of him. I laughed at the sight of him buried under the mountain of toys, with just his head and the tip of his paws sticking out. He glared at me but I knew he wasn't really angry. I sat on my side of the bed, then patted the other side. Kiba wriggled out from under the toys, then looked at me.

"It's okay," I reassured him, "I just don't want to sleep alone." I said, feeling the truth in what I said make me sad. Kiba walked over then jumped gracefully onto the bed, lying down next to me. I was happy to see him care so much. I reached over him and took my favourite teddy, the one I always cuddle and have had since I was very young, from the pile then pulled the cover up over both of us and reached round and turned the lamp off. Strangely the darkness was comforting. It wasn't even that dark to me, and I could see everything quite clearly, it was all just a different colour. I turned round onto my side and laid my arm over him, hugging him, with my other arm hugging Ted, the teddy. I soon slipped into an exhausted sleep, but unfortunately this was not a nice, dreamless sleep.

_8888_

I knew I was dreaming everything was different. And I wasn't in my dream, I was just watching it. It wasn't a proper dream either, it was a series of images and moving pictures running through my head. A strange city encased in a dome. Full of soldiers in strange outfits.

A strange glass sphere with, a girl in it? She seemed unconscious. Wolves, human wolves, a orange haired Kid, and another with longer hair. Then an older one with silver hair. The wolves were running trying to find something. Running through different terrains, snow, dessert, rain. I could feel there emotions so clearly, their passion, there fear, there hunger, it made me feel sad. Then more cities, each different yet the same, run down broken. Except for one. It was too perfect it was strange. The wolves were with the girl from the sphere, they were happy. And then…Darcia? He was fighting the wolves, trying to steal the girl….. Then…. Death…the wolves they ….they were killed…. All of them ….and the girl….

Blood flashed over my eyelids and my eyes shot open. A small scream escaped my mouth, not loud enough for my parents to hear. I was shaking badly and my breath was ragged, ripping out my lungs. The nightmare had frightened me, and at that moment I had no idea why. Tears were making there way down my cheeks.

Then Kiba's arms were around me, his human arms.

"Sshhh," he was whispering in my ear, trying to sooth me.

"I…it was horrible," I whimpered, the images lingering in my head.

"It's okay, it was just a dream," Kiba whispered gently, pulling my sweaty hair away from my clammy forehead and kissing it gently.

But was it just a dream? What had I seen? And why did it feel so real?

Well I was about to find out.

AUTHORS NOTE: This chapter is completely written by WhiteWolfie666, support her here: .com/


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A month has past since I first met Kiba, and it has been a very busy month. First thing the morning after I took Kiba to pets at home, meeting up with Grace and Blue, to get some supplies for him.

Even though I brought him dog food, which he said he didn't mind eating, I often brought proper meat from the supermarket, and often feed him left overs from the fridge.

For the next few weeks we set up our own 'save the wolf' charity as part of fulfilling my prophecy. We created a website, with useful facts and reasons why the wolf should not be hated. We also handed out leaflets and did talks in local schools, when we weren't at school ourselves.

While me and Grace were at school, Blue guarded me from outside the gates, and Kiba got on with his artist stuff, and did interviews and more talks, in which he urged people to join our cause. It was great to have someone famous helping us, especially as he was a wolf himself. Luckily, my parents both work all day, so they don't notice he is missing.

But we didn't just do talks, and hand out leaflets. We also did stuff far more dangerous.

I would pretend to be round Graces house (my parents were happy I was finally going to hers for once) but really we would go to different woods, and talk with the wolves, tell them about me. They loved the idea, and they nearly all seemed to love me. Every were I went they respected me, though some didn't want my interference.

We also came across hunters, whilst in the woods, wolf hunters. This was were the danger came in. Kiba and Blue would stand a little away from me, one either side, and Grace would hide behind a tree as I stood a little away, like a spirit in the woods. I wanted to scare them, so in my best scary voice I would say something like, 'I am the wolf princess, and you must stop hunting wolves, they are not your enemy'. After that I would then go on about how sacred wolves are, and often I would get them to change there mind, and they promised to no longer harm wolves, but other times Kiba and Blue had to intervene, one would sneak up and destroy the gun and the other would come and run at the hunter and this made them stop hunting out of fear.

We were making great progress.

But it was on one of these trips that everything went wrong, that our progress came to mean nothing at all.

We were walking through the forest after just making contact with a pack of wolves, taking a little stroll as we often did after we had communicated with the wolves.

The sky was reddening with the sunset and the air was perfectly warm. Kiba held my hand as we navigated our way, as much as he loved to be a wolf, he also liked being human so he could hold my hand. He stroked my hand with his thumb as we passed under a fallen tree, helping me keep my feet, and then picking the twigs out my hair when they got caught. I smiled at him, and Grace sighed from behind, then made a pretend gagging noise,

"Save the lovin' for later please," she joked, laughing lightly.

"We didn't do anything, we didn't even kiss!" I replied, with pretend defence.

"It was in your eyes," she laughed back, and then we all started laughing, that is until we heard Blue whimper. Blue had ran on ahead, weaving in and out of the trees, loving being free in the forest, but now she stood frozen to the spot looking straight ahead. There was a slight down slope in front of her, so we couldn't see what she was looking at. We all hurried over to her, and then we froze.

It took all I had not to scream, not to let the tears escape. Because standing there in front of us was Darcia. His visible eye boring deep into mine. He smiled, a cold dark smile. I shivered from deep inside, remembering the last time we met, a memory I had tried to forget. Was he here to kill me again?

A growl ripped from Kiba's throat. He was a wolf again. He stepped in front of me, crouching protectively, ears down, tail up, snarling threateningly at Darcia. Then another growl joined his and another big fury body was in front of me as blue joined Kiba, snarling furiously. Grace also stepped forward, so that she was level with me, glaring with hate-filled eyes at Darcia.

He smiled.

"Don't worry," his voice sent chills through me, like ice in my veins, even though it was soft, almost polite, "I'm not here to kill you - apparently you're not easily killed." He smiled but there was a hint of irritation in his voice.

Now it was my turn to smile, I had ruined his old plans. Fear was still seeping through my veins but I was determined not to let it show - at least not as much as last time.

If he didn't want to kill me, though, what did he want? As the question ran through my mind, my smile disappeared. I had no idea what he wanted.

The wolves were still growling - a low rumbling which I was starting to get used to.

"Then what do you want with me?" I asked, the fear of not knowing becoming to much, I had to ask.

"I want to stop you," his smile was getting bigger, and there was a hint of madness in his eye.

"How?" my voice was quivering in apprehension, and it wasn't nice.

"Well I need to make sure you can't complete your prophecy, and if killing you won't work…" he trailed of, his eyes looking hard into mine.

Suddenly everything went black, like a huge dark shadow had suddenly descended on the area. I wasn't alone in the darkness, Grace, Blue and Kiba were still with me, moving in closer, forming a small, triangular circle around me, there growling intensifying, and for a minute I could swear I could hear a third lot of growling, and then it was gone and Grace was touching my arm, protecting me. They were all I could see, them and Darcia. He was standing the same distance away from us, chanting. Strange words, I could either not hear or not understand. Then he laughed, a crazed sound, the sound of someone who knew they had won. I tensed, I didn't know what was happening but I knew it wasn't good. There was no sound in this black world, other then the sounds we were making.

Then there was a yelp. I looked down to see Blue body starting to fade, to disappear into the darkness.

"Blue!" I shouted, reaching out to her, as if grabbing her would make her stay. And then she was gone.

"Blue?" no reply, there were only three of us now. What was Darcia doing? What had he done with Blue?

Grace and Kiba moved in closer to me, so that Kiba's back was brushing my waist, and that Grace and me were back to back. We were all breathing really heavy. Kiba had stopped growling and there was an eerie silence in its place.

"No!" I looked round as Grace screamed. The darkness was taking her too, but it was slower, like it was having trouble. But she couldn't fight the fading for long. Tears were flowing down my cheeks.

And then there were two. I didn't know what was happening, and that's what made it scary, where were they going?

"Darcia stop!" I yelled at him, but he just shook his head.

"I cannot."

Then Kiba was blocking my view to him. A human Kiba. He must have realised what was coming, that he would be next.

"I won't leave you," he said stubbornly, he hadn't started to disappear yet, and I hoped so much that his words were true.

"Kiba…" I was frightened again; I didn't want to be alone.

"I'm not going anywhere," but as he said this the darkness began to claim him. He was fading too.

"NO!" I screamed, tears flowing freely.

"I won't…" Kiba replied then he stopped, "I can't…I love you." His words made me smile just a little, then his lips were on mine, kissing me desperately, fighting the shadows that were causing him to disappear. And then he too, was gone, and I was alone in the darkness. Alone and terrified.

I looked around; Darcia was nowhere to be seen, had he vanished to? Left me alone in this lightless world?

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" I shouted into the darkness, shouting out in my anger and fear, and sadness.

"I want to send you to a place where it is too late to save the wolves," came Darcia's reply, and it came from everywhere and nowhere all at once. I was about to argue, to ask him what the hell he means, when my head suddenly felt lighter. The blackness looked like it was moving, getting closer, closing in on me, I would of cried, or screamed but I knew no-one would here me.

And then everything went black, and I passed out, with the feeling the whole world was closing in around me.

AUTHORS NOTE: This whole chapter was, again, written by, WhiteWolfie666: .com/


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4-City Of Howls**

_Jenny_…

_I have to save her_…

Ocean tried desperately to scramble against the blackness, having dropped the whole human act in her desperation to get back to her best friend. But nothing was working, where ever Darcia had taken her, she had no choice but to go. She just hoped Jenny would be Okay.

_Be safe_…

_8888_

Grace stretched in the middle of the street, still checking as she did to make sure no human knew who she really was in this crazy future. It had taken her a week to get her footing in this city, and to work out just what was going on. Darcia had sent her to the future, the future where Jenny hadn't saved wolf kind, or so she presumed since she'd yet to find any scent of them anywhere in the God forsaken place. And that worried her, a lot. Where was everyone?

But most importantly, where was Jenny? Had Darcia purposely separated them, or had he done something to her? She was having a hard enough time accepting the fact that wolves could be extinct because of her, let alone the guilt she'd feel for letting Jenny get hurt…or worse. That poison incident had been bad enough.

She suppressed a shiver at the memory. She knew she'd never forgive herself for letting her almost die and doing _nothing_. Some guardian she was.

"Hey, you!" a man shouted at her when she accidentally walked into him, to wrapped up in her thoughts to notice, "Watch where your going will you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry sir," she said, rubbing the back of her head. The man grumbled and walked on. She had to hold back the temptation to hit him. _Was it a law to be rude in this future_?

Sighing, she turned into an alleyway, already sick of hanging around these stupid senseless humans, sick of her human disguise, sick of her human name, she was sick of it all. All she wanted was to find Jenny, safe and then rip Darcia's stinking head off.

That's when she heard it. It sounded far off, but it was unmistakable. The sound of snarling, a wolf snarling. And pawsteps, two sets of them. She wasn't alone! She ran in the direction she heard the snarling, hoping to catch them. She wanted to know exactly what was going on in this crazy world. As she got closer, she spotted a young boy, heading in the same direction as her. _But he's a human_? She thought, _what on Earth was he chasing after wolves for_? _He's just a child, armed or not_. Deciding to tag along behind him, she kept to the shadows out of his line of sight, or anyone's who might be looking. He led her up a flight of stairs to the roof of a building. She could scent them now. Two wolves, both males, and one was injured, his scent familiar. _Kiba_! Kiba was here! He'd know where Jenny was, he would never leave her side. As they got to the top, she looked out curiously, watching the two wolves fight, almost forgetting the young boy not a few yards infront of her.

It was definitely Kiba, she knew that wolf anywhere. The other she didn't recognize, not that it surprised her. He must have been from the future. He was a silver blue colour, an x shaped scar on his chest. _Why are they fighting_? She wondered, it certainly wasn't like Kiba to be eager to leap into bloodshed. Maybe this wolf had threatened Jenny? She almost growled. If he had, he would pay. She watched, fascinated as the boy ran forward, swinging around his only weapon. It was clear that whoever he was, he was on that strange wolf's side. None of his attack hit, unsurprisingly. How would they when he was so uncoordinated? Kiba easily dodged the attack, glaring back at the other wolf before running off.

She wanted to take off after him, but something kept her where she was. Her instincts had never let her down before, and she wasn't about to start doubting them now, so she stayed where she was, watching curiously.

"Are you Okay, Tsume?" the boy asked the wolf, disguised as a man with silver hair, reaching towards his injured head, "You…You're bleeding…" _So, this handsome fellow's called Tsume_?

"Don't touch me!" Tsume practically snarled, and the boy backed off. She growled lowly so that he couldn't hear her, feeling a stab of sympathy for the kid. _Arrogant bastard_, she thought angrily, _he's just trying to help you_. She watched with narrowed eyes as Tsume got to his feet and started to walk away, "And stay out of my business!" When Tsume was a little way behind him, the kid spoke again.

"I wanted to thank you," he said in a small voice, "For saving my life back there. I always thought that maybe you didn't care if one of your friends got killed." He smiled slightly, "I guess, I didn't think I'd ever be one of your friends." Grace smiled slightly from the shadows, still in her human disguise. The kid was sweet.

"We're not friends," Tsume said flatly.

"Huh?"

"It's just," Tsume said, "I'm not like you people." Grace wrinkled her nose in disgust as he walked off. _How_ _could he act like that_? This kid was the only one so far in this future that she'd found to have feelings for anyone other than themselves. Did he have no shame, no sense of loyalty? Her heart ached for someone to see her like that. She was lonely. She'd had hardly any contact with anyone remotely friendly for the last week, and she was used to being surrounded by people. She was naturally social, a pack animal, that was it.

She shock these feelings away. This was no time for weakness; she needed to find out where Kiba had gone. She had to find Jenny. She waited impatiently for the boy to move away before she bolted out of the shadows, following Kiba's scent, making sure her human disguise was up as she neared the more populated part of town. That when the sound of growling reached her ears. _Surely he can't be fighting again_? She thought, turning to run towards the sound. Just as she was getting close, the white bushy tail visible through the crowds of people a gunshot sounded.

Her heart stopped.

A voice screamed inside her head, so beautiful, so sad, so very sad.

_No_…

_8888_

Ocean shivered, curling into a tighter ball, slightly comforted by the moonlight seeping through the metal bars next to her. This place truly did smell _awful_. Jenny's crowded basement seemed very inviting compared to the stinking sewer, but it was all she had.

Sighing, she raised her large brown and white head, sapphire blue eyes shining brightly in the moonlight, the blue stars on her fur seeming to glow slightly. She was restless. But then, who wouldn't be if they'd seen their friend slaughtered right infront of her eyes, and had been unable to do anything. She'd desperately wanted to claw the man that had shot Kiba; oh the temptation had been driving her crazy all day. But she couldn't. If she was to survive, and have any hope of finding Jenny, she had to keep low.

She growled quietly to herself. As if sleeping in a dirty sewer wasn't low enough, she had to stoop to cowardice too.

But she knew there was another reason she couldn't kill that mind. Her own gut instinct. She knew what had to happen, what would happen, and she couldn't mess with the future like that. It was her job to follow these rules, to help those who needed her, and for some reason she'd been choosen to help these wolves.

She laid her head back on her paws with a sigh, slowly shutting her eyes. _One day_, she thought, _I'll make them pay for hurting them_.

_One day_.

_Darcia_.

_You'll be mine_.

AUTHORS NOTE: This whole chapter was written by me :D


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5-****Toboe, Who Doesn't Howl**

I couldn't think. My head felt clouded, as if a fog had descended and was only just beginning to lift. I felt tired and numb, cold. I didn't know why I felt this way; my mind wouldn't let me try to figure it out. But I thought Darcia must be involved somehow. I kept my eyes shut as I waited for my head to clear.

I was lying down. I could feel the cold, hard floor, like concrete, along the side of my body, along my skin. Bare skin. My senses were getting clearer, sharper. I opened my eyes slowly, the light, though dull, was still too bright. My eyes had been closed for a long time. I needed to see why my body felt so bear, I wasn't naked. My vision was blurry at first, like I'd been asleep for a very long time, which I probably had. I blinked quickly, trying to clear them. The first thing I saw were bars, a little way in front of me, stretching the whole width of my vision. Beyond the bars, a wall, quite a distance away, a door right in the middle of the dull white.

I wanted to sit up, but my body didn't feel strong enough. So instead I moved my head down slowly, hurting my ear as it rubbed along the floor, tangling my hair, and looked at my body. I gasped. My legs, my arms, my tummy, all bare. No wonder I was cold. All I had on was, what looked like, fur underwear. Like a bikini made out of grey-brown fur. Wolf fur, I realized with a start. This made me angry. Was this some kind of sick joke, Darcia trying to mess with me? I growled silently. That man would pay. As I thought of Darcia other thoughts flooded in. I remembered what had happened before I woke up, the blackness surrounding, my friends disappearing. _Kiba, _I thought desperately. Were was he? I wanted him here, with me, he would make me feel better, feel safe. Or Grace. I really wanted her comforting presence, to stop me from feeling the way I felt now. Alone and scared. What had Darcia done with them? I felt tears prick in my eyes as I thought of them, my friends, my love.

I realized, a little late, that there was something else around my body, a harness. I sat up slowly, carefully, feeling slightly dizzy. I turned my head to look behind me. Attached to the harness was a chain. Attached to the chain, was a wall. I was chained to a wall, and trapped in a cage. Someone really didn't want me to escape. Like I could anyway. I wasn't strong enough. But I knew that Kiba and Grace, and even Blue were around somewhere and I had hope that they could rescue me.

I knew I was trapped. That was it. I sniffed the air. It smelt sterile, too clean. The only smell was the metal of the bars, and the faint scent of the concrete. _Great_. I felt strange without anything to smell. So I twitched my ears instead. Listening closely, trying to pick up even the smallest of sounds from outside the room. I heard footsteps. Soft, getting closer. I watched the door, cautiously, as they approached. I was half kneeling now, half sitting. My hands resting on the ground in front of me, fingers slightly bent. Defensive. I was breathing really heavily as the footsteps stopped outside the door. My ears were pointing high as the door was opened.

A women, who reminded me oddly of Barbie walked in, slowly. Her hair was very blonde, her eyes very blue, like a clear summer sky. But it was her lipstick that made me think Barbie. It was pink. Light, solid pink. I mentally smiled, but my features stayed the same as I watched her walk further in, closely followed by two men, who looked oddly like guards. Did they really think I was that dangerous? The woman was wearing a lab coat, which instantly alarmed me. They must have realized what I was, decided to do experiments on me, treat me like a monster, as I feared in the beginning. Even though this panic was shooting through my head, I continued to stare evenly at the women.

She smiled at me as she stopped in the middle of the room. A sweet smile. As if I wasn't her prisoner.

"Hello," she said, gently, friendly. She reminded me oddly of the first time I met Darcia, the polite way he said hello. And look how that turned out. I didn't reply, I just glared at her silently.

"My name's Cher," she smiled again. The way she said it, reminded me of someone talking to a little child, trying to get them to talk back. She was patronizing me. I lowered my ears, pointed them back, showing my anger, without really meaning to. She looked a little taken aback by my reaction, but kept smiling at me.

"What's your name?" she asked. Looking at me with a friendly, yet guarded expression. She looked exhausted. I didn't answer her question, but instead found myself blurting out, "Where am I?"

My tone was angry, harsh. I'm not sure why. I guess I was just fed up with the whole thing, angry that I had no idea where my friends were, or if they were even safe.

Cher blinked, surprised, momentarily before regaining her smile.

"You're in our laboratory," she answered simply. I stared at her, wanting more information, but not wanting to ask.

She seemed to pick up on that, and continued with her explanation.

"We found you a week ago, just lying in the street," she smiled, looking slightly embarrassed, "Sorry, we had to sedate you, we saw your ears, and well, we didn't know if you were safe." She laughed nervously. So they found me? Kept me asleep for a week, to do god knows what experiments on me? I had had enough. I stood up carefully, swaying a bit as I did, but regaining my balance quickly. I glared at the women, my hands curling into claws, my teeth showing, lips pulled back.

She seemed, for once, to become serious. She took in the way I was standing, nodded at the guards then spoke softly, and slowly. "Well, we'll give you some time to settle in," she smiled one last time then turned to leave the room, the guards following closely. Just as she got close to the door I spoke again, the question had been burning inside me, but I had only just realized.

"Where are my friends?" I asked, my voice sharp, demanding. She turned back to face me, her face had a confused expression.

"Friends?" she asked, I could see she had no idea what I was on about, "You were alone when we found you…" she continued, carefully, obviously trying not to offend me again. I felt my face drop, my anger simmering, but mixing with fear and worry. So we had been separated. Even before, for all I know we were sent to completely different places. I felt tears prick at the corner of my eyes again. Cher smiled, but in a concerned way, then walked out the room, followed by the guards.

I was breathing heavily again, but this time with anger. Darcia was playing a dangerous game. Kiba would find me, I knew it. I started pacing back and forth in my cage, like a caged animal, too restless to sit back down. I thought about everything that had happened. Thought about my friends. Thought about how the hell I was supposed to get out of here. The answer to that was I couldn't. Not without help. I was weak and human. Well half anyway. But I was also hungry and thirsty, and still tired from the drugs.

I paced for quite a while. My legs started to ache but I carried on. I was becoming more agitated, my anger dissolving more and more into fear and pain.

After a while though, something changed. Something in the atmosphere became different. I stopped and tilted my head upwards, looking at the ceiling, feeling outward with my senses. A strange feeling overcame me. Yet somehow it felt familiar.

There was a noise, small, far away, but still it was weird, out of place. Then I heard it. A crawling sound, scrambling. I looked to the direction it was coming from and saw an air vent in the wall. My heart was beating quickly. Something was coming this way - and it was coming in the vents! It reminded me of horror movies. I tried to control my breathing; I didn't want to alert anyone to my presence. But it was hard. I was terrified.

Then the noise stopped. Right outside the covering, it stopped. I watched, ears back, hands curled, ready for any kind of attempt I could make at defending myself. Then the coving was pushed off, it fell to the floor noisily, making me flinch. And then a head popped out, looked around and was followed by the body. It was a boy. Light ginger hair, with a strange collar around his neck. He crawled out the vent then stood up and looked at me. He looked confused but pleased as he looked me up and down, taking in my appearance. His noise twitched as he sniffed the air, taking in my scent. I watched him cautiously. That is until I sniffed the air my self. Because as soon as I did, my head snapped back to the air vent, as the next person was making there way out. My heart was beating really fast now, a smile spreading helplessly on my face. I'd recognize that scent anywhere, that head. _Kiba_. He was only halfway out.

"KIBA!" I shouted excitedly, he had found me. He would rescue me, my wolf. I ran forward as he stood up straight, "Kiba, I'm so glad to see you!" I wanted to reach the bars, reach out to him, but my chain tugged tight, preventing me from moving any further forward. He looked at me, his expression caught between confusion and dislike. I ignored it though, he was probably just thinking about what Darcia had done to me. "Kiba!" I called again, wanting him to reply. But the reply I got was not what I wanted.

"How do you know my name?"

I was confused at first, was he playing a game?

"Kiba, it's me. Kiba?"

He looked blankly at me. Then it sunk in. I fell to my knees, tears dripping from my eyes like a broken tap. "You…don't…remember me?" I was trying to hold back the tears.

"I don't know you," he replied, there was no kindness in his voice.

The tears turned to sobs, my shoulders shook with the pain in my heart. Kiba had forgotten. Whatever Darcia had done, he'd made it as if Kiba had never met me. I knew I should have felt angry, by I couldn't. The pain was too much, like someone was trying to rip my lungs out, I couldn't breath. My heart felt like it had stopped beating.

"Kiba, please…" I almost pleaded. I don't know why. I wanted desperately for him to remember.

"Who are you?" he asked, it wasn't his normal gentle way of talking. It was harsh.

I finally took my eyes off him; I couldn't bare to look at him anymore. My eyes slid over the other boy, who was watching with interest at the exchange between me and Kiba, before I looked down at the floor, trying to stop the river of tears as they flowed from my eyes. I felt so empty. I didn't want to answer, that would make it real. If I answered it would prove he didn't know me. But I had to. I couldn't ignore him, not my Kiba, even if he wasn't mine anymore.

"J…Jenny…the wolf….princess," I whispered around my sobs. I added the princess bit, something inside me told me to.

His face looked shocked for a moment, then angry.

"So you're the one who failed us," it wasn't a question. It was a statement. I didn't understand what he meant, failed who? Who was us? Before I could ask anything, the ginger boy spoke.

"You know her?"

"I've heard legends," Kiba replied, his voice clipped.

"And?" the boy asked, obviously interested in the story.

"She was supposed to stop wolves becoming extinct," Kiba replied simply, obviously shortening the story. I thought about the first time he had explained it to me, the wonder, and amazement in his voice. Now he sounded cold, almost angry.

"Huh," the boy said, then he turned to me, "I'm Hige," he smiled friendly at me.

But I couldn't concentrate on that_. Supposed to…_that would imply that…then I understood. I knew who I had failed. The wolves. But I didn't understand how. Before Darcia did whatever it was he did, the wolves were fine; things were starting to look good, people's opinions were changing. But Kiba had just implied wolves were extinct now…how could that be? I was so confused; I didn't even feel angry, not anymore.

As I thought about what could have happened, I thought about Grace. If Kiba had completely forgotten me, what about her? She must have to, because what me and Kiba had couldn't easily have been broken. That would mean I was completely alone in the world, no love, no friend. I felt exhausted, I felt scared, I felt pain and I felt lost. Where was I without all the people I cared about?

The boy named Hige looked back at the door to the room.

"We should get out of here," he said almost tensely, but still with the air of someone who wasn't really bothered. I looked up at that, at Hige. He was now looking at Kiba, who was looking at me.

"Then lets go," Kiba replied as he turned around and headed back to the vent.

"Wait!" Hige called after him "Are we just gonna leave her here?"

Kiba looked at Hige exasperated, and then he looked at me.

"I guess not," he said, and then there was a white wolf in front of me, what used to be my wolf, his jaw clamped around bars. He pulled back, like a doge playing tug of war, and the bars separated easily. This Kiba was strong. Hige stood and watched as he walked into the cage and walked around me. He bit down onto the chain and snapped it in half easily. I stood up quickly, shook my head to try and clear it of the muddle of emotions, and then followed Kiba out the hole in the cage. It was hard, I was big and the hole was small, wolf size, but I squeezed through. The two wolves, at least I assumed Hige was a wolf, climbed into the vent smoothly, and I followed after them as best I could. It was hard to crawl through, and it was very cold. It made me wonder were my clothes were, and why the scientist named Cher even put me in this ridiculous outfit. Eventually we made it outside. The cold wind whipped across me, blowing my hair into a tangled mess around my face. I looked around me in wonder. This place was strange, the building like none I had seen before. We certainly weren't in London anymore.

We ran forward a little, Kiba leading with Hige, me following sadly behind. Kiba was just going to leave me in that cage. He didn't care anymore. I felt like crying again but held it in. I watched the back of Kiba's head as we walked, taking in its beauty as if he was a new person, and willing him to remember me.

Then Kiba stopped, so suddenly that I almost ran into Hige, who stopped only a fraction after Kiba. A strange man, who had a strange mask on, walked along a bridge above us. He was carrying someone. A girl, it looked like. He turned his head and looked at us as we watched him. His eye, his clothes all so familiar. But it couldn't be, could it? All I could do was stare at him as I made the connection. Terrified as he watched us. But I knew he couldn't do any more harm. He'd already taken away everything. Plus I wasn't even sure it was him. I might've just been so emotional that I was making connections that didn't exist.

"So your wolves huh?" he asked, and my fears were confirmed, "My deepest thanks for awakening Cheza," his voice was ice cold, just as I remember it.

"Who are you?" Hige shouted, sounding agitated.

"I'll be taking the flower maiden," was the only reply.

Then he did something I didn't expect. A gesture, I expect, aimed at the wolves, at Kiba. He held the girl by her neck and then swung her outward. She threw her head back and a high, ringing noise came out her wide open mouth, a non human scream. I covered my ears from it as Kiba darted forward, trying to catch the man, or get the girl. I started after him as soon as I had recovered, but I couldn't keep up. Then, in a blinding flash of light, the man I thought was Darcia, and the strange, inhuman, girl, were gone. Kiba stopped and looked around wildly. I stopped too and walked up to him, Hige following behind. The sound the girl had made had me close to tears. It sounded hurt, terrified and sad.

It sounded the way I felt. _Alone_.

AUTHORS NOTE: This chapter was completely written by WhiteWolfie666: .com/


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6-Bad Fellow**

Lights flashed on around us as we stood in the deserted street. We walked briskly away from where we were, no-one saying anything, all deep in thought.

We had only walked a little way, turned one or two corners in this unfamiliar place, when we reached an entrance to the sewer. Kiba stopped and Hige walked up beside him, looking disgustedly at the manhole. I stopped too, still standing behind them, watching as Kiba lifted the cover off.

My bare feet were hurting and all I wanted to do was rest, sit down and cry. But I knew I couldn't. I wouldn't let my pain show anymore. I would act strong; follow them wherever they go, when really I would feel like breaking down.

The two wolves began to descend into the darkness, Hige wrinkling his nose against the smell, which was beginning to waft towards me. I shuddered as it reached me, deciding then that I would breathe through my mouth.

I looked down into the darkness, hearing Kiba's footsteps echo off the unseen walls, watching Hige's head dissolve into the blackness. Memories flooded back, the last time Kiba had remembered me, before the darkness had overtaken us. Fear manifested in my body as I stared down. _Why was I so pathetically human_?

"You coming?" Hige shouted up when he reached the bottom. His voice didn't sound to far off. It wasn't that deep.

I took a deep breath then turned around and descended down the ladder and into the darkness.

Once down there it didn't seem so dark. My eyes adjusted quickly, my wolf senses kicking in. Kiba was already at the first bend, disappearing from sight, Hige walking quickly to catch up. I ran, too, not wanting to be left behind. Being alone would be worse.

"Where are we going?" Hige asked as we caught up to Kiba, a little way from the entrance. I looked at him, my eyes moving from the slimy ground. Before Kiba answered, Hige continued.

"This kind of place isn't exactly ideal for my delicate nose, you know." I almost glared at him. I didn't exactly like it down here either, but I didn't complain. Also he was acting like his sense of smell was better then anyone else's, and this annoyed me, but I didn't let it show.

I moved my eyes back to the ground, watching my feet as they walked through the dirt, but for some reason unable to care how filthy and smelly they were becoming.

Kiba spoke, in his angel's voice, replying to Hige, "There's food around here somewhere," and then as if he needed to explain, "Call it intuition."

I watched, horrified as the wolves ate the rats, as they tried to wriggle free, only the tails left and laid gingerly to the side. I hugged my arms to me and turned my head away, I felt like being sick at the thought of the poor rats, living till the deadly bite. The raw meat, being digested. They were wolves I understood that they had to, that they could, but still, I had never imagined Kiba doing this.

"You're not eating?" Hige smiled at me, trying to hospitable.

"No, thanks, I'm not hungry…" I muttered quietly, my voice weak with my emotions.

"Suit your self," Hige smiled again, before snatching another rat into his big jaws, wolf again. The truth was I was starving, I hadn't eaten in a week, and I felt weak and empty, but I would rather wait, and hope to find some other form of food. I was almost sure that my wolf half, would be able to digest the meat, but the thought of it had me shaking with disgust.

After the wolves had finished there meal, we found ourselves sitting in a small alcove, in the sewers, the edges raised like seats. Hige and Kiba sat opposite each other, whilst I sat next to Kiba, my legs drawn up to my body as I hugged my knees.

Hige broke the silence first.

"Guess we lost the trail. The flowers scent has completely disappeared…" It seemed as though he was talking to Kiba, but he could have been thinking out loud. Kiba responded, but it wasn't to what Hige said.

"That man knew paradise," I risked a look at his face. His expression was pensive, he was deep in thought. I watched Kiba as he spoke. So he didn't even remember Darcia. I guess that was expected. But it made me think why I hadn't forgotten. I guess it was a way for him to mess with me, to make me hurt more. Forgetting would be painless; it would be a way out. But then I remembered something I'd heard, long ago, when I was a child. _Memories should always be treasured, even the bad ones, because they make us who we are… _I can't remember who told me this, but I agreed with it, I still do. I know that forgetting seems like an easy way out, but I wanted my memories, I wanted to be me.

Hige seemed to carry on with what he was saying; it was like they were having two different conversations, like they were hearing different to what each other were saying. I wouldn't join in; I didn't trust my voice not to betray my emotions.

"Well we can look for a different flower - there has to be other ways around it," Hige seemed oblivious to the fact that it was Darcia Kiba was thinking about, not the strange girl that everyone was calling a flower.

Again Kiba ignored Hige, and I had to glare at him, he was frustrating me. But as I looked I saw his face was even more thoughtful, his voice carrying the look.

"That man….knew exactly who we were." I knew he was talking about the fact they were wolves. But all I could think about was how right Kiba was. Darcia knew exactly who we were, me and Kiba anyway, and I figured he probably knew Hige too.

"Let's hurry out this town and find that paradise place," Hige continued his part of the conversation. I felt like telling them both to shut up, my head was hurting and they were just making it worse, but I didn't, I let them continue.

"He told me to meet him in paradise." For once what Kiba said seemed to even slightly match what Hige was saying, they were starting to pay attention to each other. No. They were paying attention all along, they just ignored each other. Why were these wolves so rude? Not like the ones I knew back home, before all this happened. Not like the Kiba I knew.

Hige sighed, his face looked annoyed, his voice came out exasperated.

"So what?" he asked finally getting annoyed at Kiba's incessant talk of the strange man, "You want to go after him? Doesn't sound so appealing to me. That guy is definitely a noble." My ears pricked at this, so he knew something about Darcia? I wanted to hear what.

I wasn't the only one, Kiba seemed just as confused, "A noble?" he asked, interested in what Hige had to say.

"That's right, you wouldn't know," Hige looked at both of us whilst he spoke, explaining to both of us, "Nobles are a pretty tiresome bunch. I never want to get involved with them, no matter what," he paused. Typical Hige, had to give us his opinion instead of facts. I rested my head back on my knees, no longer interested. After the pause Hige spoke again. "Let's drop this," he lay himself down on the hard stone of the sewer side, "Just forget about him." Hige closed his eyes. Kiba glared at him, thought for a little while, before resting his head back on the wall and closing his eyes too. I sighed, feeling grateful the talking had stopped, but still not feeling as if enough was said. I wanted to know more. But they were going to sleep now, and, even though I had been asleep for a week, I knew that I should sleep too; I was tired and worn out.

It had only been a small amount of time, not long enough for me to fall asleep, before I heard it. Faint footsteps echoing off the sewer walls. Then growling. Just around the corner. A wolf growling. I sat up, scared as the irritated, angry sound grew closer, moving through the shadows, hidden in the darkness.

Kiba and Hige were up in an instant, wolves moving in front of me, becoming defensive. It was Hige who moved directly in front of me, to protect me from the intruding wolf. I felt my heart drop. Kiba would always have been the one to protect me before, but now it seemed like he didn't even care.

The wolf stepped cautiously out of the shadows, its teeth barred at us.

"What are you doing here?" the harsh voice growled. A female voice. This surprised me. "This place is _MINE_!" The voice was strange, yet seemed familiar at the same time.

The wolf was brown, with a white muzzle. Blue stars seemed to glow over her body. I hadn't seen this wolf before, I knew that, but something about her appearance, the way she held herself, made her seem familiar to me, but I couldn't figure out why.

"I don't see your name on it," Hige replied. I almost growled at him myself. This was no time for jokes; he was only making her angrier.

"Don't mess with me young wolf!" the strange wolf growled glaring hatefully at him. Her head moved as she scanned us. Then it stopped. Her mouth opened slightly, she looked shocked, surprised. "K…Kiba?" her mental voice asked sounding as shocked as she looked. I'm sure I would have looked shocked to, this wolf knew Kiba somehow. I should have realized it then.

"How do you know my name?" Kiba growled stepping forward threateningly. He must have been confused by all these people knowing his name, when he didn't know them. He seemed irritated. I couldn't help myself then, I was more talking to myself, trying to make it better for myself, to remind me, but the wolves heard.

"He doesn't remember," I muttered, the realization hitting me again, a force that made a tear roll down from my eye, a single lonely tear.

"Jenny?" the strange wolf asked, sounding so happy, yet so confused at the same time, as she stepped forward, further into the faint light. "Is it really you?" She sounded so pleased, but so apprehensive, as if she was expecting me to say no. How did this wolf know my name?

"Who are you?" I asked I had to know, she seemed so familiar, yet I was sure I had never met her before.

Suddenly the wolf ran toward me, a human body slamming into me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace, hugging with the great pleasure she felt with being reunited with me. I knew who it was. I guess I'd known all along, I just didn't want to believe, like I'd known along she was a wolf, but had deliberately ignored the signs, not wanting it to be true, the secret she kept from me. Grace. My best friend. Before I could say anything she spoke, quickly.

"Thank God your okay! I've been worried sick, where the hell have you been?" She didn't stop for air, she didn't give me time to respond. But now I had time and I didn't know what to say.

"You…wolf…what….when…What the hell?" I didn't have it in me to shout, to tell her off for not telling me, I was so damn confused. And then I realized.

"Wait," I asked not continuing with my questions about her being a wolf, this was more important, "You remember me?" Grace was still hugging me, but I let my hands drop, from where I had began to hug her back.

"Of course I remember you, why wouldn't I?" she asked, sounding confused, squeezing me tighter.

I felt the tears well behind my eyes, even before I said it, "Kiba doesn't…" I leaned into her, my best friend, the tears rolling down my cheeks, as I buried my face in her shoulder, rewrapping my arms around her, for support, for comfort.

This time it was her that pulled away.

"He _WHAT_?" there was concerned anger in her eyes, her protectiveness taking over, as she turned to face Kiba, who was still a wolf, but closer now, sensing the danger was over, but still on edge. "How could you forget her? You only spent all your time drooling over her!" I wanted to laugh, typical Grace, but I couldn't seem to.

Kiba's face turned angry, his lips pulling back slightly.

"Why would I drool over _THAT? _She failed us!" He seemed generally disgusted at the idea, and I had to fight really hard not to let more tears escape.

Grace, however, reacted in a way I would never have predicted, her nostrils flared and she punched Kiba right on the noise, knocking him back a little. I couldn't believe it! She was a wolf again as she leapt on him, her mouth snapping toward him as if she meant to kill him. She always seemed to care about me too much, and me, I always cared too much for Kiba. Even though I knew he probably deserved what Grace was doing to him, I couldn't just stand back and watch as he got hurt, as the two people I cared most about wrestled with each other in a deadly battle. I had been hurt, I had been insulted, but that didn't matter, I still couldn't see them fight.

"Grace, STOP, PLEASE!" I pleaded, shouting at her as I ran toward them, ready to try and break them apart if I had to. But at my words Grace moved back, away from Kiba, back towards me, anger emanating from her like an aura. I ran towards where Kiba was lying on the ground, starting to get up. I knelt down next to him, but not daring to touch him, tears streaming down my cheeks. He was bleeding, but only a little, red staining his white fur. He was glaring hatefully at Grace. Grace was human again, standing with her hands clenched into tight fists, her anger boiling over.

She glared at Kiba.

"You fucking bastard! Who the hell do you think you are? How the hell could you hurt her like this? And to think, I actually thought you were good.

I thought you were dead. I cried over you! I was going mad with worry and for what?" I watched, shocked as her expression turned dark. I'd never seen her so angry. "And she didn't fail anyone. You want to blame someone, blame me," her face turned tortured, pain in every feature. I wanted to speak then, tell her she was wrong, but she continued before I had the chance. Her voice sad, full of emotion, she looked at the ground as she spoke. "I couldn't protect her, I nearly let her die…" her head snapped up, her voice sharp, "So if you've got anything to say, say it to me. And watch what you say! Jenny is the only reason you can still breathe!" The last words, the threat, sent a cold chill down my spine. I was surprised at how far she would go for me, to protect me, to keep me from being hurt, upset. But she shouldn't be angry at Kiba. It wasn't his fault; he couldn't help that he couldn't remember. Blame Darcia, be angry at him. I wanted to tell her this, but I couldn't find my voice. It was lost in the flow of emotion flooding my body.

I looked around. Hige was watching, with an amused smile on his face, but with a hint of fear in his eyes. Kiba was glaring at Grace with such hatred in his eyes I thought he was going to kill her himself. But he didn't, he sighed, frustrated, before walking away, just a few steps, before laying down away from the rest of us.

Hige, recovering from his shock at her outburst, smiled pleasantly at her.

"Hey, I'm Hige, what's your name?"

_8888_

Hige, at the top of the ladder, pushed open the sewer lid and stuck his head out into the fresh air.

"Huh? Did I come out the wrong way?" his voice echoed down to us. Kiba was behind him on the ladder, me and Grace still waiting at the bottom. Hige paused, before saying something, that didn't make sense to me from down here. "A lone ranger huh?"

Kiba became impatient and shoved upward, pushing Hige up through the hole and out the way, almost violently.

"Hurry up and get out!" he said as he climbed out the hole himself. I started to climb the ladder, Grace close behind, unwilling to lose me again. Kiba looked around.

"Your nose isn't so trustworthy after all," he said as we climbed out.

"Having stayed in such a smelly place all day, I'm not really surprised," Hige retorted. I liked the fact that none of us really got along, yet it felt like we were all friends.

I noticed him then. Another wolf, staring at us with a look of utter surprise and bewilderment on his face.

"You guys…you guys are also!" his voice sounded young, innocent. I smiled at him. Then Kiba's head moved up, looking behind the young wolf. I followed his eyes and saw a girl standing there. She was staring at the young wolf with a look of fear on her face. The wolf turned around and saw her, he looked please.

"Leara!" he exclaimed excitedly, "Don't be scared, I'm not going to do anything. I just wanted to see you again," his face went sad, his head lowered. "I wanted to apologize about the bird." This made me wonder what he had done to this girl before, why he seemed to care about her, and why she seemed so scared of him. For a moment I thought she would forgive him, for whatever he had done. I was wrong.

"Daddy…daddy…daddy…DADDY!" she called getting louder and louder, "There it is, the wolf, the wolfs here!" she screamed as we stared at her in disbelief. We ran around the corner, Kiba leading, to get away from the shouting girl, to escape the man she was calling to her. We climbed into a pipe set into one of the walls at the end, entering the sewers once again. It was a few minutes before the young wolf joined us.

We were back in the sewers, the smell overwhelming, but bearable, the filth sticking to my bare feet. We were running this time, running away from the girl I think, but reasons remained unspoken between us all.

"I told you I hate smelly places!" Hige complained. We all ignored him, to consumed in our own problems to care about his. Me and Grace lingered behind, Grace standing as close to me as possible, obviously still worried about me. I loved her; she was the best friend anyone could want. We slowed to a walk as we went round the corner. Climbing over the uneven surface.

"What's wrong kid?" Hige asked, looking behind him at the small wolf, now a human with a darker orangey brown hair. The boy stopped, his hands clenched to fists. We stopped behind him, watching.

"I'm not a kid! I'm Toboe!" he said angrily, offended by what Hige had said. He stormed forward to catch up to them, clearly agitated. Me and Grace followed slowly after the wolves.

"Oh right," Hige replied, clearly unbothered by Toboe's anger, "I'm Hige," he said pointing to himself, "This is Kiba." He pointed to Kiba, who was in the lead walking quickly as if he were alone, his beautiful body moving briskly.

"And I'm Ocean, and this is Jenny." Grace joined in, introducing us, introducing me. Ocean? Who was Ocean? I thought that maybe she had gone crazy, that she had been so worried that she lost her mind, forgot her own name. Or maybe she created a new one, wanted to start fresh. I didn't know why she had called herself Ocean, but she was still Grace to me.

"Were are you guys headed?" Toboe asked, aiming it at Hige.

"What do you mean where? The exit of course." Trust Hige to interpret the question the wrong way, either that or he was joking, confusing the poor kid. I smiled. For the first time since I came to this place I smiled. I don't know why, just the general stupidity of it, the calm banter between the wolves. I guess I was going mad, to smile at nothing like that.

"The exit?" Toboe sounded confused.

"We're leaving town," Kiba said, joining in, sounding annoyed with the talk and wanting to give a sensible answer.

"Leaving town? Where are you going from there?" Toboe asked, not satisfied. It was obvious he wanted to come along. I liked this kid, he seemed so oblivious, so naïve. I liked that.

"To paradise," Kiba said simply.

"Paradise…" Toboe repeated. He stopped slowly. Hige noticing quickly.

I watched Grace as she froze, just a fraction before Toboe had.

"Paradise? Your going to…" she began before Toboe interrupted her, almost as if they were unaware she had spoke. But I wasn't. I wanted to hear what she had to say, but, it was obvious I wasn't going to.

"You guys heard of Tsume?" Toboe asked those in front of him.

"Tsume…" Hige thought for a moment, "Never heard of him." he finished, almost as if teasing Toboe.

"The guy with the scar on his chest?" Kiba stopped and looked back for the first time, really getting involved now.

Toboe seemed excited by the fact Kiba knew him, "Yeah, that's Tsume!" he said happily.

Grace growled next to me "Oh, the bastard from the roof…" she trailed off as Kiba spoke again. So Grace had met him to? Huh, was he another wolf?

"What about him?" Kiba said, his tone contradicting to Toboe's.

"I was wondering if he could come along as well…" Toboe replied looking a little scared and sad as he said it, all his enthusiasm dissolved away.

Hige turned fully to face the sad looking kid. "I don't have a clue who he is, but where is he?" Hige sounded like he actually cared.

"I don't know…" Toboe said sadly.

As they were talking I noticed Kiba turn his back to us and look at something. While Hige and Toboe talked, he walked forward, bending down just in front of an exit, and looking up to where the light was flooding in.

_8888_

Ocean growled to herself as she padded through the smelly place. She really did hate it here; hate the hiding, like a damn mouse. At least she'd gotten something to eat. But it didn't stop her feeling miserable.

Kiba was gone and Jenny was missing.

_A fucking useless protector I turned out to be_! She thought angrily, getting closer to her resting place.

Angry, upset and guilt ridden the last thing she wanted to scent was other wolves.

But of course, whatever God there might be, didn't like her enough to grant her peace.

The stench of the sewer had masked their scent trail, but she could smell them now. Sleeping in _her_ spot! She let out a low warning growl as she moved closer, keeping to the shadows so they wouldn't be able to spot her until she wanted them to.

"What are you doing here?" she growled, furious, "This place is _MINE_!" Now she'd moved into the light, she could see three shapes, three enemies. The light sandy wolf was the first to speak, voice arrogant.

"I don't see your name on it," he said. She growled lower, his arrogance infuriating her. How dare he speak to her with such cheek!

"Don't mess with me young wolf!" she growled, glaring at him hatefully, before she moved to scan the others with her powerful eyes. Next to the sandy wolf, was an achingly familiar white wolf. _Kiba_…but how was that possible? Had she finally cracked under the strain? Sure she'd never really liked him, but Jenny loved him, so she put up with him for her. Still, she'd never wish death on the wolf.

"K…Kiba?" she stammered in shock.

"How do you know my name?" he growled. _How do you think stupid_? That's when a small voice sounded from behind them, recognisable to her anywhere.

"He doesn't remember."

_No…it couldn't be…surely….could it_…?

If it wasn't, it just proved what a cruel bitch life could be.

"Jenny?" she asked, not daring to hope, stepping forward so she could see better in the light, "Is it really you?"

"Who are you?" she asked, looking down at her. Her eyes seemed so upset, so lost…but she'd recognise her anywhere. It was her friend, her very best friend. Jenny was really here.

Without warning, she flung herself forward, making sure her human disguise was up. She wrapped her arms around her, pulling her in for a crushing hug. She didn't care that the two wolves watching would think her weak for such a display of emotion, she didn't care that Jenny would be furious with her for not telling her she was a wolf; she didn't even care that she might be crushing her best friend to death, all that mattered was that she was safe.

"Thank God you're Okay! I've been worried sick, where the hell have you been?" she said, without a pause for breath, not loosening her grip, too afraid she might disappear again if she let go.

"You…wolf…what…when…What the hell?" she didn't sound angry. But she didn't have long to think on it before she spoke again.

"Wait. You remember me?" she asked, dropping her arms from around me. She squeezed her tighter, confused.

"Of course I remember you, why wouldn't I?"

Suddenly she leaned into her, looking for reassurance, comfort. This only made her worry more. What had happened?

"Kiba doesn't…"

Ocean pushed her away, shocked.

"He _WHAT_?" she shrieked, anger flaring once more as she turned on him. He still looked apprehensive of her, not that he was wrong to be, "How could you forget her? You only spent all your time drooling over her!"

Kiba drew back his lips, angry now.

"Why would I drool over _THAT_? She failed us!" She'd ripped herself inside out with guilt over failing Jenny, failing all of wolf kind and failing to help Kiba when he needed it. She'd kept her patience this long. But at his words, she couldn't control it.

She snapped.

In one swift motion, she brought her fist forward, punching him right in the nose to knock him back. Without giving him a second to react, she dropped her human act and launched herself at him, teeth and claws not aiming to harm, but to _kill_.

She was going to finish what the hunter started. No one, absolutely no one talked about Jenny like that!

But before she could get too far into their fight, she heard Jenny cry behind her, even through the roar of blood in her ears.

"Grace, STOP, PLEASE!"

At her request, she sprung away from the white wolf, human disguise back in place. Jenny's care for him might have spared his life, but she was angry, no _furious_, and she was going to make sure he knew it.

Glaring at him with the hate of the devil himself, she exploded.

"You fucking bastard! Who the hell do you think you are? How the hell could you hurt her like this? And to think, I actually thought you were good. I thought you were dead. I cried over you! I was going mad with worry and for what?" She couldn't stop herself ranting, every ounce of her anger and pain coming out then, eyes darkening. "And she didn't fail anyone. You want to blame someone, blame me." She looked away, guilt filling her once more, "I couldn't protect her, I nearly let her die…" Her anger returned in a flash, head snapping up to glare at him again, "So if you've got anything to say, say it to me. And watch what you say! Jenny is the only reason you can still breathe!"

And she meant it.

She didn't care if it was harsh, nor did she care that the sandy wolf was afraid of her. She could only focus on Kiba. He glared back at her, and in that moment, she almost went against Jenny's wishes and shredded him.

_Almost_.

He sighed, moving away to lay down away from us. _Good, stay away_, she thought angrily. Still glaring at Kiba, she didn't notice the sandy wolf recover from his fear.

"Hey, I'm Hige, what's your name?"

_8888_

Despite the awkward silence that hung over the group as they traveled further into the dark building, Ocean felt oddly at ease with Jenny back by her side again.

Sure Kiba was an arse, Hige was as arrogant as he was fat and Toboe was just a poor lost kid, but they already felt like family. She flicked her ear as Jenny patted her head again, probably still worried about her temper.

But she was in control of that now. As long as Kiba kept his jaws shut, and his glares to himself, there would be no trouble coming from her.

"What a crap heap," Hige commented as Kiba opened the door ahead, the others filing in behind him, "Why'd you bring us here?"

"Tsume!" Toboe cried happily when he spotted the tall, white haired man infront of them.

"You?" he said, torn between confusion and anger. Ocean wanted to tut, but kept herself quiet.

"Wha? Hey, is this him?" Hige asked, looking between them. _Trust Hige to ask a stupid question_, Ocean thought, wanting to growl at him.

"I could smell the blood from your wound," Kiba said, and she instantly noticed the bite on his shoulder. It didn't look too deep.

"What?" Tsume growled.

"I smelled it all the way here from town," Kiba said, in his irritatingly calm voice. How Jenny found it angelic she'd never know.

"And your gonna nurse me back to health?" he snapped back, sounding almost as irritated as she felt with Kiba's annoying calm. _Something we can agree on_. "Well I don't need your help." _But you're still an arrogant barstard_.

"Tsume…" Toboe began, "Look I…I…"

"We're leaving the city; I really think you should come with us."

"And just where is this merry band of yours going?" was his only reply. Ocean could feel the fur on the back of her neck bristling, anger flaring again.

"To paradise," Kiba told him and Ocean actually let out a low whine. But as before, only Jenny noticed, giving her a questioning look. But she didn't answer it. Paradise…why…why did it have to be Paradise?

Tsume…actually sniggered.

"You're kidding me? You're going with him because you believe in that crap?" Ocean couldn't keep herself silent then.

"I'd shut your trap, arsehole," Ocean growled, eyes narrowed, "You don't know what your talking about." Tsume's eyes flickered over to her, unphased as he took her and Jenny in.

"Who are you?"

"My name's Ocean, this is Jenny," Ocean growled, glare never leaving Tsume.

"Jenny…you mean…?"

"Yes," Kiba growled in distaste, "The fa-The wolf princess." Kiba had learned.

"The failure princess," Tsume snapped, what are you doing with _that_?"

"Hold your tongue! Or I'll cut it out!" Ocean snapped, taking a step forward. If he thought she was bluffing, he thought wrong.

"Jenny is coming with us, she's the wolf princess, she might be some help," Kiba said, choosing to ignore her outburst.

"And the _female_? What use is she?"

"She's not coming," Kiba said simply.

"Oh shut up fluffy, no one cares what you think," Ocean growled at Kiba, before turning her glare on Tsume, "And you, got a problem with females have we?" The others sensed the danger in the air instantly, realizing Tsume seemed to have crossed a line. Even Kiba took a step back, not willing to get caught in her anger again.

Only Tsume seemed oblivious.

"Yes, actually," he sneered, "Females are weak and defenseless. They should stay in the den and look after pups. A journey is no place for weak females like you."

Ocean no longer cared that she should hold her temper better, or that this was her second fight of the day, she launched herself at him, teeth bared.

It didn't take long. Seconds had passed before Ocean had him pinned beneath her, muscles flexing with power.

Tsume stared up at her in shock. _How…I hadn't even_…? _How had she done that_? Ocean smirked, her jaws around his throat in a warning bite. She pulled back enough to smirk down at him.

"Who's the weak one now?" she asked simply. He didn't answer, shocked gaze never leaving her face.

"Look, I hate to interrupt," Hige said from where he was peering out the window, human body flattened against the wall, "But a nasty stink is heading this way." Ocean got off Tsume, moving protectively over to Jenny, human disguise in place. Hige was right. She could scent human stick everywhere. It wasn't there a minute ago.

"We're surrounded," Tsume said, looking away from Ocean for the first time since their fight to peer out the windows. _Thanks for stating the obvious_.

"Let me ask you, why did you guys come to this city?" Kiba asked, the others falling silent, "It was because of the flower scent wasn't it." He didn't ask, he already seemed to know. Ocean hated that, he was such a know it all. "Well it's gone now. There's no reason to stay." Yes, she too had scented the flower in her short stay, but through her grief, she'd paid little attention to it. Of course, she could tell now, as she had been able to for a while, it was gone.

"The flower has nothing to do with it," Tsume said, "I'm here because I belong." _Wow another thing we can agree on. This city stinks, and so do you, your perfect for each other._

"I can see that," Kiba said, his voice gaining a mocking edge, "This city is a dump." Ocean rolled her eyes. _That was my joke; you didn't even say it right_. Tsume turned his glare on Kiba, slowly moving towards him threateningly.

"I still have a score to settle with you," he growled.

"We don't have time for this!" Hige cried.

"Last time we met, you said something about how your pride wouldn't allow you to pass as a human," Tsume growled, ignoring Hige, "Well you look pretty human now, where'd your pride go?" _Fight, fight, fight_!

"Nowhere," Kiba said calmly, "Nothing has changed."

"Do you have the slightest idea of what leaving the city would mean?" Tsume asked. _No probably not, he is an idiot after all. You two should hook up_.

"Yeah." His arrogant response just seemed to make Tsume angrier.

"You'll just die."

"Possibly," Kiba said, "But everyone's going to die. It's a natural part of life. But if life has no purpose your dead already."

The two fell into silence, glaring at each other.

_Damn Kiba, ruin a good fight_, Ocean almost pouted.

Kiba was the only one not to flinch when a bright unnatural light suddenly shone into the dark room.

Without hesitating, or even asking Jenny's permission, she pulled her up into a piggy back. Half wolf she might be, but she wasn't letting her fall behind. She sprinted out across the pipes ahead of the others, despite Jenny's added weight. Jenny didn't say anything as they ran; burying her head in her shoulder blades, as though afraid she might get hit by the bullets. _I will never let that happen_!

Behind her, she heard the sound of a small cry, and the snap of metal giving way. She could tell from the voice it was Toboe, and as much as she wanted to turn around and help him, she couldn't. She had to make sure Jenny was safe first.

So she carried on running, letting Kiba take the lead.

She skidded to a halt next to him when he stopped, following his gaze.

"What the hell are you stopping for?" Hige asked. But Ocean already knew. She could sense it, no doubt just as well as Kiba could.

"Tsume!" Toboe cried happily when he came running out. Tsume shared a glance with Kiba, before the gunfire started again.

"This way!" And they started running again, getting higher and higher, until they reached the end of the wall surrounding the city, cold snowy air blowing in her face. She didn't hesitate to throw herself over after Kiba, tightening her hold on Jenny protectively.

"Jump already!" she heard Hige shout up to Toboe, who hesitated.

"I was getting ready to, alright?" Toboe shouted back down. Ocean smiled, she liked that kid, he had fire.

"Move it," Tsume said in his usual drawl, kicking Toboe off the wall. Ocean sighed. Tsume might have choosen to come with them, but he was still an arse.

Ocean's ears tingled with awareness as the police sirens from inside the city wailed on, Tsume apparently frozen at the top of the wall, not even flinching when shots were fired at him.

"Hey wait a minute!" She heard a man call to someone in the background.

"Tsume, what are you waiting for? Come on, jump!" Toboe called up to him.

"Stop it!" the man in the background said again, "You don't have the right to shoot!"

"You idiot!" another voice sounded in the background, much deeper this time, older.

"He's a human Quent!" the first man said, "He looks human to me!" _That's because your eyes deceive you, foolish human_.

But she was too distracted by Tsume to really focus on the human argument. She glared up at him, almost tryingly.

"Are you scared?" she asked, her voice soft, but she had no doubt he would hear it.

Tsume's eyes narrowed slightly, and she knew she'd got it right.

"Yeah, you wish." He said, leaping down.

_8888_

It wasn't until a while later Ocean heard the two men again.

"Now do you believe?" the older man said, the smirk easy to hear in his voice.

"Believe what?"

"That you've been deceived this entire time," the old man sniggered, "By a pack of wolves."

"You're wrong…" the first man said, though he sounded uncertain now, "It's not possible…"

_One rule of life, human, anything is possible_.

She felt the power bolt through her legs again, making her tempted to race infront of Kiba.

She was proof of that.

AUTHORS NOTE: The first two parts of this were written by WhiteWolfie666: .com/

The last parts where written by me :D


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